The Road and Bridge Fund is used to account for revenues restricted or limited for highway and road purposes, including the County's share of State revenues that are legally restricted for the maintenance of highways and roads within the unincorporated areas of the County.

The mission of the Road and Bridge Department is to provide the citizens of the County with the safest possible roadway infrastructure, with the funds that are available. To improve the roadway system as funding is available. To take pride in the maintenance of the roadway system and the equipment used to complete the same. The Road & Bridge Department has several functions including, but not limited to the maintenance, construction and rebuilding of approximately 1,100 miles of gravel roads within an area of 1,851 square miles. In addition, the R&B Department is responsible for the maintenance of approximately 175 miles of paved roads, 34 bridges, culverts and drainages ditches along County road rights of way, snow removal operations, and assist with wildland fire fighting, when requested.

2022 Accomplishments

Increased training to Road & Bridge employees to aid in greater effectiveness. A total of 1155 hours were devoted to safety and an additional 1700 hours to advanced skill training. Two more Road & Bridge employees received the Road Scholar One certifications through the LTAP program.

Replaced $100,000 of signage around Elbert County as part of a complete multi-year signage replacement program.

Rebuilt the culvert drainage area on County Road 149 after a large flood event. This included extending all the 6-foot, 4-foot, and 2-foot culverts under this section of road, installing a new 4-foot metal culvert in this area, filling in the large glory holes on the outlet side of the large culverts, backfilling the shoulders to obtain a safer shoulder slope. Rebuilding the fence to transition over the culvert instead of in front to aid the local property owner in preserving their fence in the event of another large rain event.

Completed phase 1 of the Elbert Drainage Project. This included installing prefabricated concrete retaining walls with seeding and matting on the top backside of the walls, grouted in riprap in both ditches, a large formed concrete catch basin at the bottom of the hill, new concrete culverts and regrading of the final drainage ditch flowing away from the project area.

Graveled in all 19 blades areas in Elbert County.

A total of 7,249 tons of asphalt was used throughout Elbert County to patch County asphalt roads. The property for the new Road & Bridge Facility was graded to plans, saving approximately $150,000 to the overall construction budget.

Stabilized the subgrade and repaved 1100 feet of a failing curve on County Road 17-21. The subgrade and asphalt tip in this area was pushing up every 3-4 feet causing an unsafe travel surface.

Repaired the guardrail of the bridge on County Road 150, County Road 13, and County Road 158.

Removed the old tanks and installed new fuel tanks and monitoring system at the Simla Shop location.

Updated the comprehensive Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for Elbert County Road & Bridge division. This plan has been updated to include projections for road work through 2045.

All Road & Bridge equipment, tools, parts, implements, vehicles, and heavy equipment are now accounted for in the PubWorks software system where all maintenance, material and labor are tracked. Previously inventory items were accounted for in excel spreadsheets. This provides a streamlined approach to inventory as well as reducing the time spent on inventory annually

2023 Goals and Objectives

Continue rigorous training programs with all staff.

Continue to identify road rehabilitation and upgrade projects that may be funded by developer driven projects.

Maintain a high level of training, teamwork, moral and excellent communication with Road and Bridge employees to effectively improve production and the level of service to our roads and the residents of Elbert County.

Continue to outfit Road & Bridge crews with the equipment and replacement equipment needed to efficiently provide the level of service needed on our public roadway system.

Within the updated Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for Elbert County Road & Bridge Division has several projects planned for 2023:

• County Road 166 Repave and Shoulder Widening: With the economy status Road & Bridge had to reduce the size of this project for 2023 to 1.5 miles (Delbert Road to Frontier Road). If costs continue to increase, Road & Bridge may postpone this project until 2024 and only complete the engineering in 2023 for the entire 7 miles of the pave project.
• County Road 21 Rebuild: Road & Bridge will be rebuilding the dirt section of County Road 21 from County Road 106 South to County Road 102. This will be a complete dirt road rebuild to include removing the large rock area that impedes drainage, raising the road, establishing new ditching, installing culverts, establishing proper road width, and topping the road with new gravel.
• County Road 13 Culvert: There is a failing culvert under the asphalt of County Road 13, North of County Road 158. Road & Bridge will remove, replace and extend 22-feet of the failing section of the 4-foot diameter culvert, bring in material to widen the existing shoulder, armor both the inlet and outlet side of the culverts with riprap and patch the disturbed asphalt road area.

Continue to update signage across the County to meet current Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) codes.

Continue to work with bordering jurisdictions on updating Intergovernmental Agreements for road maintenance on County Line roads.