Lake County has launched a two-year plan to accelerate countywide road resurfacing projects, and immediately address deteriorating roads.
On Oct. 22, 2019, the Board of County Commissioners voted to authorize a $10 million bank loan with a 1.85% interest rate to be repaid with Sales Tax revenue. The funding will allow the County to repave the 63 miles of roads in the poorest condition, as well as approximately 28 miles of roads that, while in slightly better condition, are also in need of repaving. The County currently allocates approximately $2 million in Sales Tax funding annually to road resurfacing, which allows for about 18 miles a year to be resurfaced.
A 10-point rating system is used, with the lower-rated roads being those in the worst condition and in most immediate need of resurfacing. Roads that decline to a five and lower rating are deteriorated to the point of needing to be resurfaced. More than 300 of the 1,252 miles of paved roads in the County’s network are in need of resurfacing, with 63 of those miles in such poor condition that they are in immediate need of resurfacing.
The Lake County Public Works Department maintains 1,252 miles of paved roadways (equal to the distance from Tavares to Boston), as well as 144 miles of clay, concrete and gravel roads. As the transportation network continues to age and the cost of resurfacing 1 paved mile of road averaging $110,000, the County must prioritize resurfacing based on road conditions and available financial resources.
For more information about the upcoming infrastructure road resurfacing projects visit,https://lakecountyfl.gov/departments/public_works/.
