File photo
File photo
Commissioners in Washington County approved a bid to seal coat county roads in an effort to buy time until they can be permanently fixed.
In a virtual meeting, the commissioners agreed to have several county roads seal coated while they attempt to secure additional funding from the Texas Department of Transportation. The funding would be in the form of a tax increment funding (TIF) grant.
Residents had expressed concerns about damage to roads, largely as a result of oil and gas trucks. Some residents were also under the impression those companies had already paid the county money to conduct the repairs.
“We are working on our plan and they will give us the money once we get everything together,” County Commissioner Joy Fuchs said. “The TIF grants just now came out. We can’t start any work until they have been awarded. We have been working towards these things. The taxes you are saying are paid in by the oil and gas companies are still being assessed and put into a general fund.”
In the meantime, re-sealing the roads is necessary maintenance that should help them last until permanent fixes can be made.
Alerts Sign-up