Perry County leaders say $1.2M in road aid will cover roughly 10 miles of blacktop

The Perry County Fiscal Court discussed the limits of a $1.2 million County Road Aid allocation at its April 29 meeting, with the chair framing the amount against local road mileage and recent flood recovery needs.

"Our total amount for the County Road Aid is 1,200,000," the chair said, adding that blacktop costs are "at least, if not more than, a $100,000 a mile for blacktop," which would translate to roughly 10 miles of resurfacing if all the aid were used solely for blacktop.

The chair said the county maintains about 500 miles of roads — approximately 300 miles of blacktop and about 200 miles of gravel — and that the county must sometimes use general fund dollars in addition to road aid to expand pavement work. The chair also noted historic floods in 2022 and 2025 and said FEMA reimbursements are reimbursable, requiring the county to front funds for recovery work.

Court members approved the County Road Aid agreement for fiscal year 27 by voice vote. The discussion underscored both demand for pavement work and limits on what a single-year aid allocation can achieve.

Next steps: the county will incorporate the $1.2 million into its road program for FY27; longer-term pavement plans remain contingent on additional funding and FEMA reimbursement timing.