KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — Knox County Commission will decide Monday night whether or not to approve paving contracts for forty to fifty miles of new roads next year.
The County Commission has already approved the new roads budget of $7 million. It costs on average about $150,000 to pave one mile of roadways.
Jim Snowden, Director of Knox County Engineering and Public Works, said it can be challenging to choose what roads to pave with a limited budget.
"We have to be very selective. And we want to be very subjective in that selection process of what gets paved," Snowden said.
Inflation has caused the price of asphalt to quadruple over the last twenty-some years, Snowden added.
Commissioner Kim Frazier said the county commission is doing its best to address budgeting issues and to find out which roads need to be serviced the most.
"We're trying to do our best to listen to citizens and respond in the best way that we can given our budget," she said.
The county commission hopes to add to the number of repaved roads every year, Frazier added.
If you have a concern about a road in your neighborhood or elsewhere in the county, reach out to your commissioner, Frazier emphasized.
"We represent the people," she said. "We want to hear from you, and if you have a concern, or you have a road that you feel needs some attention, let your commissioner know."