Benton County Road Superintendent Barry “Buck” Carter indicates that there plans underway to black-top 11 miles of roads in Benton County. The roadways slated for black top are Beaverdam Road, Sterling Road, and a portion of Harmon’s Creek Road in the Hallshire area. Funds for this project come from the State of Tennessee Gas Tax, which is slated for road improvements.
County road crews were busy last week spreading gravel on Hill Chapel Road in the north end of the county. There are plans to gravel other roads as needed and as the weather permits.
Carter speaks highly of the 25 employees of the County Highway Department, saying, “I’m proud to work with them! They are multitalented and get the job done even though I have a lot for them to do.”
Carter reports that the federal project of graveling the National Wildlife Refuge is nearing completion and will be a relief to traffic in that area. He also reported that the county’s 98 bridges have been inspected recently, noting, “They were all good.” Bridges that are 20 feet long or more are inspected by the State of Tennessee every other year.
The State of Tennessee has dispersed $300 million dollars to various counties under the Transportation Modernization Act, which considers population, miles, road condition, and traffic density in each of the counties. Speaking of how this funding will be used in Benton County this year, Carter said, “Every dime is going to be used for black-topping.”
Carter sites the relationship between the TCHOA (Tennessee County Highway Officials Association) and the State Legislature as being the driving force that has brought this funding to needed projects. The TCHOA is a networking outlet for highway officials, where representatives from each county can share knowledge about ways to manage roadway problems.