VIDEO: Some Noxubee County Roads Are Getting A Makeover

NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Some roads in Noxubee County are getting a makeover.

Dirt roads make up seventy-five percent of the county, which means paved roads are a big deal for residents.

Right now, one supervisor is putting down pavement on nearly 10 miles of the roads in his district.

It’s something one resident says has been a long time coming.

Annie Dora McClung was born and raised on Dora Road, which is named after her family.

She says the paved roads are a blessing after all of these years.

“You can sit out on your porch and not worry about the dust and all of that stuff, but I am so pleased to have it and I just thank Noxubee County for finally doing something.”

Noxubee County District 5 Supervisor Bruce Brooks has eighty to ninety miles of roads in his district.

He’s been working on getting nearly ten miles of those rock roads paved.

“I looked at the roads that were most traveled and where my residents lived and I also looked at where my churches are because this day and time, people like to go to church and keep their cars clean.”

The 8 1/2 mile paving project is costing $192,000 dollars, but Brooks worked to find ways to save as much money as he could.

“We’re doing fifty percent of the work, that’s the next savings. I’ve got Howard Smart, that’s my number one operator. He’s able to prepare and set the road up. That’s fifty percent of the cost is labor and the other cost is material,” says Brooks.

Costs savings are also coming because the county is using a slag from Steel Dynamics in the road base.

The byproduct of the steel manufacturing process provides a solid base for road building.

“This is my base and it will save me at least $25,000 dollars to use that material and if it works, I’ve already started prepping other roads to get them in shape. This is going to be the way of the future,” says Brooks.

Brooks is also partnering up with the city of Brooksville to help set up two miles of roads to be paved.

The city is paying costs, but he’s helping provide equipment and manpower.