Road crews look to road repairs this summer

Gregg County commissioners voted unanimously on Monday to help the city pave a few a few streets, while the city street superintendent reports he has a long list of his own to pave before September ends.

All of the projects put forth by Bob Barbee, commissioner of Precinct 3, were approved, including paving jobs in Kilgore, Gladewater, Gladewater ISD and Sabine ISD.

In Kilgore, the county approved $12,301.40 worth of asphalt overlay work plus $1,267 worth of paint striping on five streets. The costs include equipment and labor, but not materials, which are to be supplied by the city.

Barbee said his crews, with help from city crews, will lay hot mix asphalt on South Martin Street from Knowles to Harris Street, and do striping work along Danville Drive, Kilgore Street, Lantrip/Fritz Swanson and Martin Street after the overlay.

Tim Hobbs, city street superintendent, said he doesn't have exact figures on the cost of the materials needed for the job, but he noted the city has 16 other streets on the list to pave before fall.

Scheduled for new asphalt are Sycamore Drive, Birch Street, Cypress Drive, Driftwood Lane, Cedar Drive, Juniper Drive, Gulf-Hercules Road, Burns Street, Lewis Street, Bois d'Arc, Line Street, a portion of Reynolds Street (from the end of the curbed and guttered section to Hwy. 31) and Rogers Street. If there's still time, Hobbs said his crews will also put down new asphalt on the portions of Post Oak Road and Watson Road inside the city limits.

Kilgore's city council recently approved the purchase of a new Leeboy asphalt paving machine, which cost $82,000, and Hobbs said his crews have now completed training and will begin using the new machine as soon as they finish preparing the streets for asphalt.

Repairs include strengthening the base, as needed, and filling in ruts and potholes. Hobbs said about half that work is complete and his men are working steadily to complete the other half before the asphalt work begins.

"My guys are going to be very busy from now until the end of September," Hobbs added.

Barbee's crews will also provide labor and equipment to repair:

— Rosemary, Jordan and West Commerce streets in Gladewater, along with repairs to the parking lot at the city's Emergency Services Building;

— Clear and construct a parking lot at the T-ball field on Loop 485 at Main Street, per a request by Gladewater ISD;

— Repair parking lots for Sabine ISD; and

— Assist SISD with drainage problems on Red Bird Lane at the elementary school, which Barbee said was the result of problems along the county road.