County Seeks Lime Rock Road Funding

County commissioners last year voted to improve Star Road, off U.S. 19, after scores of residents complained the lime rock dust was not only ruining the finish of cars but also endangering their health.

The county used a "chip sealant," which consists of a limerock-prepared base topped with two layers of asphalt and rock. The surface treatment is about 40 percent cheaper than normal road paving and the process seems to have worked for Star Road.

Commissioners on Tuesday heard from residents along two other limerock roads - Thrasher Avenue and Bailey Hill Road - who asked for relief.

They left with good news: Board members approved a prioritized list of limerock roads to receive surface treatments and asked staff to explore funding to get Thrasher and Bailey Hill done at the same time.

Thrasher Avenue was the first priority because it is the most heavily traveled with 706 cars a day. It is slated to get treated in 2009 at a proposed cost of $401,000.

But commissioners also stressed they wanted to squeeze in the treatment of Bailey Hill Road, slated for resurfacing in 2010 at an estimated $337,000. An average 500-plus cars a day travel down that road.

Deputy County Administrator Larry Jennings said he couldn't promise that the county could do both roads next year but would explore funding options.

"The budget is really tight," Jennings said.

County Commission Chairman Chris Kingsley suggested the county lend money to itself to get both roads done.

Because of the economy, contractors should be eager for work and there is a likelihood that bids would come in lower, he said.

As part of its capital improvement program, the county allocated $390,000 per year for the next five years for dust control of lime rock roads.

Roads were ranked according to five criteria: type of road (main road, collector road, local road); the number of people living on or near the road; traffic, annual maintenance costs and surface treatment costs (based upon $130,000 per mile).

Hernando County has about 500 miles of lime rock roadways and residents who live on many of them have raised repeated concerns about the dust.

Paving the roads would eliminate the problem entirely. However, at a cost of $210,000 per mile, the total cost of paving all 500 miles of roads would be $105 million, making that option prohibitive, according to County Engineer Charles Mixson.

In some areas, residents have formed a Multiple Service Benefit Unit (MSBU) to pay for road improvements. Under an MSBU, all affected parties chip in their fair share.