County working on road projects

However, recent rains caused problems with the work that was done, and crews had to do additional work including packing the shoulder of the road.

The road project is not the only one planned for the county in the next few months.

McMillon said his office will be applying for an unpaved road grant to do work in the 400 Road area around Marmaduke.

The grant is administered by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Division.

According to the agency’s website, the program tries to fund projects to maintain dirt and gravel roads that have problems with sediment or dust as well as help road departments with training on how to maintain the roads.

The agency said nearly 85 percent of county roads in the state are unpaved and that the program has an environmental benefit.

“Eroding unpaved roads can channel rainfall runoff, increasing erosion and sediment delivery to our streams, rivers, and lakes,” the state agency said on its website.

The agency also said there is an economic benefit as well.

“Eroding unpaved roads are expensive to maintain, requiring continual grading to smooth out the effects of concentrated drainage flowing across the road surface. Problem roads can also cause excessive wear and tear on vehicles and contribute to high levels of road dust, a significant issue in many rural areas,” the agency states.

The deadline to apply for the grant is March 1 and McMillon said he anticipates knowing whether or not the county will receive the grant by mid-March.