LAUREL HILL — The city council has added two more road projects for the West Florida Regional Planning Council.
City officials have suggested resurfacing Earl Campbell Road and adding sidewalks for New Ebenezer and Robbins Road.
The regional planning council has contracted with the Florida Department of Transportation to gather input from rural areas.
Since 2010, regional planner Christie Johnson has met with city officials to take suggestions and give updates on which roads the county and the FDOT have planned for road repairs or additions.
One recent result of FDOT’s rural work program is Laurel Hill's main road, Johnson said during Thursday’s city council meeting.
"State Road 85 was on the list last year with resurfacing," Johnson said. "From what I understand, it’s almost complete."
The project should be complete within two weeks, she said.
According to a handout available at the meeting, four projects that FDOT will work on in five years are as follows:
•Adding a right turn lane on the corner of Galliver Cutoff and State Road 4 in Baker.
•Modifying the U.S. Highway 90-State Road 4 intersection in Milligan.
•Adding turn lanes on State Road 4 for 14th Street in Baker.
•Replacing the Yellow River Bridge crossing U.S. Highway 90.
Projects could move up or down the priority list due to circumstances like paving conditions, Johnson said.
A second map handed out at the meeting featured roads that county officials requested of FDOT. The county may consider applying for a 50-50 grant to cover the cost.
"The County Incentive Grant Program is a possible funding opportunity for the county to fund road projects on state roads or projects that relieve congestion on state roads. There is a 50 percent match requirement," Johnson said in an email.
The handout included two lists featuring county roads’ resurfacing and paving needs. Ludlum Road, Steel Mill Creek Road and New Ebenezer Road were included on both lists.
Council chairman Larry Hendren suggested the county portion of Earl Campbell Road be considered for resurfacing.
City attorney Dan Campbell suggested that Thomas Road be removed from the "paving needs" list.
"I don't know why people want to pave Thomas Road; nobody lives on it and nobody uses it," he said. "That money should be put on New Ebenezer Road rather than paving a road up to Alabama that nobody uses … that's $404,000."
Councilman Johnny James agreed, asking if it were possible to add sidewalks to New Ebenezer. Johnson said she would bring the matter before county officials.
"Some of the kids walk along New Ebenezer all the time," James said at the meeting.
The suggestions will be brought before county officials, who will perform cost estimates on each, Johnson said.
Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown at 850-682-6524 or matthewb@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbMatthew.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill council suggests roads for grant-funded repair