The Walton-Nigerian Connection

[SHELLY]

The best comment: "I am so proud to be living in a county that aspires as a beacon of enlightenment to third world countries."

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Nigeria looks to Walton for road advice

Representatives of Nigeria are looking at Walton County as a model when it comes to strengthening dirt roads.

Nigerian government leaders toured rural areas of north Walton County late last week in hopes of learning how to toughen their roads so they can withstand erosion, according to a news release from Walton County.

Nigeria's Assistant Director to the Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Engineer M. Ola Akeju, spent more than a day looking at locations and reviewing equipment that the Walton County Public Works Division uses in road stabilization projects.

"Just like in the United States and in Walton County, we can't afford to pave every road in Nigeria," Akeju said. "Walton County uses a process to minimize dirt road erosion, and it looks like this type road stabilization process works quite well for the people of Walton County."

Nigerian government leaders are working to help farmers in West Africa get their food from the farm to the market on dirt roads to improve the nation's economy.

Akeju was accompanied by Ike Onyiuke of Universal Stabilization JV Limited based in Abuja, Nigeria. Universal Stabilization specializes in road stabilization products. Walton County Public Works crews have been using a road stabilization process on many local dirt roads since 1998, according to the release.

"Repairs to dirt roads are minimized when we use this process, even after hurricanes and floods," said Aaron Warren, Walton County Public Works engineer. "We're quite proud to share our road stabilization techniques with other countries."

Warren said he has provided tours to other international visitors. Representatives from the Russia visited in 2008 with similar interests in stabilizing rural roads.

 

[ASH]

What! Someone had to travel half way around the world to look at a dirt road as if this doesn't exist somewhere closer to the problem. Look at a dirt road for half a day and then head to the beach for the rest of the week and write the whole trip off. What a deal.

My dirt road is in Walton county and I don't think it's set up so smart. The culvert is filled with dirt and rainwater runs across the road every rain washing big ruts all the way across in multiple places making the road nearly impassable. Then a couple days later, a grader shows up and smooths everything out, but leaves the culvert full, so it's guaranteed to happen again. It's job security from where I stand on tax payers dollars. :angry:

 

[rheffron]

Dirt roads are cool as long as you don't live on one!

 

[sunspotbaby]

I laughed when I read this too. Wonder if they'll be back to study our "paved" roads. I'll bet they didn't tour Chat Holley or any of the dirt roads off 393 N. (those are the worst!)

I like living on a dirt road and personally hope they never pave it. It's too much fun for us to go out after a good rain and stomp in the mud.

 

[wrobert]

What! Someone had to travel half way around the world to look at a dirt road as if this doesn't exist somewhere closer to the problem. Look at a dirt road for half a day and then head to the beach for the rest of the week and write the whole trip off. What a deal.

My dirt road is in Walton county and I don't think it's set up so smart. The culvert is filled with dirt and rainwater runs across the road every rain washing big ruts all the way across in multiple places making the road nearly impassable. Then a couple days later, a grader shows up and smooths everything out, but leaves the culvert full, so it's guaranteed to happen again. It's job security from where I stand on tax payers dollars. :angry:

At one time Walton County had a machine, RACO, I think it was called, that was used to compact dirt roads to an almost concrete like substance. Not sure of the status of it, but maybe that is what the Nigerians were looking at. If so, the mfg probably paid to get them over here so they could buy some of those machines with the worldwide stimulus funds and work on their infrastructure. Maybe they can put their citizens to work so they will quit emailing me all the time.

If you think the road department is wasting tax money on your road, call the WCTA waste hotline and report it, 888-794-WCTA. Anonymous and confidential.

 

[Yarmap]

We need to eat more oysters and go back to putting the shells on the roads. Not much dust and they don't wash out easily.