Pothole Problems Persist 4 Months After Ice Storm

Monday, May 14th 2007, 5:00 pm

By: News On 6

A Green Country county hopes the federal government will step up and help it repair roads damaged during the ice storm. Mayes County says it needs more assistance from FEMA. The News On 6â€™s Chris Wright reports commissioners in Mayes County say four months after the storm, many of their roads are still in disrepair, and they're not sure if they'll have enough money to properly fix them.

Weeks of freezing and re-thawing in January left some Mayes County rural roads riddled with potholes. And while the temperatures have warmed, the potholes are still there. The county would like to get the roads back to the condition they were in before the ice storm hit back in January. But they say without proper funding from FEMA, that's not going to happen.

County Commissioners say FEMA has agreed to pay for the road repairs using single-chipping sealant, but officials tell us that the roads need the more expensive double or triple chipping sealant.

FEMA says even though the ice storm struck Mayes County four months ago, the agency is still in the early stages of handling the recovery. The agency is obligated to restore roads to their pre-storm condition, and believes its recommendation will accomplish that. Government officials also point out that nothing is set in stone; they could still award more money to the county.

As for residents in the area, they say they've only had paved roads for a few years, and wouldn't mind if the FEMA funding is used for other repairs.

"I think they could use it better places than right here. I'm happy with the roads, and I think everyone else who lives on it is," Mayes County Resident Velma Dickerson said.

Given the pace of the road repairs, that patience may come in handy. FEMA tells The News On 6 it will continue to work with County Commissioners to come up with a solution that satisfies both sides. Mayes County Commissioners say they have even been in contact with their state representative, but still hope FEMA will come through with the funding.

Watch the video: Pothole Problems