Paving the Way Home Program Paves 4,200 Miles of Local Roads

More than $231 million invested in city streets and county roads over two years

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue and state transportation officials today announced the successful completion of the Governor’s “Paving The Way Home” initiative – a two-year program that funneled more than $231 million to Georgia local governments for the resurfacing and rehabilitation of more than 4,200 miles of city streets and county roads.

“We have invested a record amount of funding to help local governments resurface the county roads and city streets that Georgians use every day,” Governor Perdue said. “These projects make it safer for Georgians while commuting to work and riding buses to schools, as well as helping to attract new businesses to our state.”

Paving The Way Home was launched by Governor Perdue in January, 2006, to utilize state motor fuel tax revenues to help Georgia cities and counties repair deteriorating streets and roads. 

“Governor Perdue’s program has added new momentum to addressing local government transportation needs,” State Transportation Board Chairman Mike Evans noted.  “I intend to work with our legislators and local leaders to continue, and to build, on that momentum.”

“The beauty of Paving The Way Home,” Transportation Commissioner Harold Linnenkohl observed, “was that it allowed us to help local governments without delaying any of the state route system projects we began in the past two years.  There are still many streets, roads and highways in Georgia that need attention and we must continue to look for new funding and innovative ways like the Governor’s Paving The Way and Fast Forward programs to address this need.”

Georgia DOT assistance for local government streets and roads primarily is provided through two programs, the Local Assistance Road Program (LARP) which is designated exclusively for resurfacing, and State Aid contracts, which cities and counties can use for any type of road or bridge work.  Increases in motor fuel prices resulted in more revenue from the state’s four-percent gasoline tax than had been projected, allowing Georgia DOT to fund Paving The Way Home while continuing previously budgeted projects.  In FY’06, more than $116.1 million was dedicated to work on 2,289 miles of streets and roads; another 1,927 miles were resurfaced or repaired in FY’07 at a cost of $115.5 million. 

(Editor’s Note:  PDFs are attached of fiscal-year breakdowns of LARP and State Aid by county/municipality; amount received; miles affected; and project numbers.  Media desiring to know specific roads and streets improved should contact the applicable local governments and cite the pertinent project numbers.)