Wednesday's Internet Edition, September 08, 2010.

“This winter had a major impact on our roads,” Roane County highway administrator Gary Alvis said. “There’s a lot of roads we’d like to pave, but we don’t have the resources.”

According to Alvis, the only resurfacing projects planned in Roane County this summer involve Lick Fork Road.

The first phase, some 3.7 miles starting at the intersection with Harmony Road, has been completed. The next phase involves 3.21 miles from where that project ended to Batten Run. Alvis said the section of Lick Fork near the entrance to the Roane County High School athletic complex is not scheduled for resurfacing.

Alvis also received verbal confirmation of another resurfacing project — W.Va. 14 from Colt Ridge to Billings — although that project has not been placed on the schedule.

“As of right now, those are the only things I’ve gotten word on that will be paved,” he said. “Everything else will just be patching.”

Two trouble spots in Spencer were addressed earlier, as a section of Locust Avenue was resurfaced and Black Walnut Avenue was patched.

“It might as well have been paving as much patching as they put in,” Alvis said of the Black Walnut Avenue project.

A section of U.S. 33 west of Spencer near Windyville Road was also resurfaced.

Alvis said the list of summer resurfacing projects was shorter than normal, mainly because the winter was a lot longer.

“A lot of times, the extra funds from snow removal can be used (for paving),” he said. “With the winter we had, I don’t think we have a chance of doing that.

“A new fiscal year begins July 1,” he added. “Hopefully, after that, some things may free up.”

State Dept. of Transportation spokesman Brent Walker said the winter left behind plenty of holes in the pavement as well as a big hole in the budget for road maintenance.

He said $44 million had been budgeted for snow removal — including equipment, materials and overtime — but the state had spent about $56 million by March.

Although 18 counties including Roane were part of a federal disaster declaration stemming from the winter’s first major snowstorm, in mid-December, Walker said the state received only about $1 million in federal funds to fill the gap.

Alvis said the number of paving projects was already down because the cost of asphalt went up drastically a few years ago. He said that only contributes to the problems caused by winter weather.

“With the age of the pavement we have, it develops small cracks,” he said, “and when salt gets in there it leads to some tremendous potholes.”

Just because there won’t be a lot of resurfacing going on this year, Alvis said that doesn’t mean there is no relief at all in sight for motorists on local roads.

He said county crews have been doing a lot of patching, although it is taking more time and materials because of the number of potholes.

“My guys are putting the effort in, but it’s slow going,” he said.

He said local crews would continue patching until the asphalt plants close for the winter, which may come too soon to get everything done.

“When the plants shut down in November,” he said, “there will probably be some roads we haven’t gotten to.”