Residents of a subdivision are asking Effingham County commissioners for help with their failing road.
Jason Hovey, a resident of Shadowbrook subdivision and president of the homeowners association, asked commissioners to do something about the entrance road to the neighborhood off Log Landing Road. Hovey showed commissioners pictures of the road and its condition.
        “We can’t do the repairs on our own,” he said. “We are looking for help. The roads are in really poor condition.”
        Hovey said the subdivision’s original developer went bankrupt and walked away before dedicating the roads. Hovey said he understands the road doesn’t meet the county’s standards.
        Commissioner Vera Jones pointed out that when the county commissioners then in place approved the subdivision, they allowed for a trial use of ash for the road. The county has replaced many of the roads built with ash.
        “There is a huge cost because of the size of the subdivision and the inferior product,” Jones said.
        There are 280 houses with about 700 vehicles in the subdivision, Hovey said, and just one entrance and exit off Log Landing.
        “It’s a huge safety concern,” he said. “This is all about safety.”
        The road’s condition also has affected home values, Hovey said. Appraisers have reduced values of homes by $10,000-$15,000 because of the road, he told commissioners.
        “It’s not going to get better,” he said. “If we don’t do something, they’re going to continue to go in this direction until they’re impassable. If things keep going in that direction, we won’t be able to get in and out of our homes.”
        Latrelle Pevey, who has owned a home there since 2004, said she recently moved into that house.
        “When I saw the condition of that entrance road, I don’t know that I’ve seen a road like that,” she said.
        Another developer built the next two phases, which consists of 190 homes, with conventional roads.
        There are two more phases planned.
        “At some point, somebody is going to have to take ownership before we can do something,” said Commissioner Phil Kieffer.
        Hovey said when he asks about getting the road he fixed, he said he gets the runaround and is told the money to complete repairs is not available.
        “It’s not a runaround,’ said Chairman Wendall Kessler. “The money is not there.”
        County Administrator Toss Allen said the repairs could range from $80,000-$615,000. He said the county could negotiate with the developers of the other phases about participating in the costs.
        “You don’t want the developer working on a road he doesn’t own,” he said.
Kessler added many dirt roads were paved with ash, which was seen as cheaper than asphalt, but the ash roads have been problematic.
        “We’ve ground up miles of this stuff,” the chairman said, “and some folks have said they’d rather have their dirt roads back.”