Repairs on Georgia roads estimated at upwards of $1 million

Flood-damaged Colquitt County roads could take more than a year and $1 million to repair, said Roads and Bridges Superintendent Charles Weathers.

As of April 8, sections of about 26 roads remained closed, with some expected to stay that way for an extended period of time.

Weathers said completing repairs on all damaged roads will take years. “It’s going to take at least a year to get them all put back, and we’ll never get them back to pre-existing (condition). There’s just not enough time and money to do it.”

So far the Roads and Bridges Department estimates the cost of repairs at more than $700,000, but inspections are not complete. The final cost is likely to be greater than $1 million if no bridge damage is discovered, said Weathers, whose initial estimate to the Colquitt County Emergency Management Agency was $1.1 million.

Weathers said that initial inspections indicate no major damage—such as to a bridge structure—occurred, but if workers discover that a bridge needs to be replaced, a project of that size could total $800,000 or more by itself.

“Until you get to where you can get under them and double check you won’t know for sure,” he said. “Right now we don’t look like we have any major bridge damage. It’s probably going to be two or three weeks before we get in on the major structures.”