Chambers Commission tackles roads, approves new subdivision
BY SAM VISE
THE LAFAYETTE SUN
CHAMBERS COUNTY — The Chambers County Commission approved several major heavy equipment upgrades, greenlit a nearly 93-acre residential subdivision and received updates on key road safety and maintenance projects during its meeting on Oct. 5.
County Engineer Josh Harvill presented the highway department’s fleet management plan, rotating older-model trucks to be sold at upcoming auctions while securing new replacements through purchasing agreements.
The commission approved declaring two 2026 Mack tri-axle dump trucks (purchased in September 2025) as surplus to be sold at the March 2027 JM Wood Auction. In their place, commissioners approved the purchase of two new 2027 Kenworth T880s equipped with Chisholm Ox bodies from Truckworx through the Sourcewell purchasing cooperative for a total of $221,985.
Additionally, the commission declared a 2025 Mack lowboy tractor (purchased in October 2025) as surplus for the March 2027 auction and authorized replacing it with a new current-production Mack Pinnacle 64T lowboy tractor for $182,487 through the Association of County Commissions of Alabama joint bid.
Harvill also presented a detailed highway progress report, announcing that contracted safety improvements along County Road 83 — running from Cusseta to the Chambers County Lake — are scheduled to launch later this week, weather permitting. The federally grant-funded project will add paved shoulders, and Harvill urged motorists to use caution as signs go up.
Turning to county maintenance, Harvill outlined a targeted effort under the county’s dirt road improvement program to stabilize one of the area’s most problematic unpaved routes: County Road 388, known locally as the old “Dirt Road Barbecue Road.”
“We bladed that road I think five times now this summer,” Harvill said. “Generally, what we deal with after we blade is that the washboard is bad within a week — so bad that it’s hard to go more than about 5 mph along. I would definitely say out of all the unimproved roads in our county, we have struggled more with [County Road 388] over the years than any, just due to the nature of the material that makes up the road.”
Crews will begin ditching work on County Road 388 ahead of stabilizing the base material with a specialized chemical additive to reduce recurring washboarding and cut down on routine grading demands. Harvill said he hopes to begin work next week, weather permitting.
In other business:
The commission approved the preliminary plat for the “Chambers County Road 266 Subdivision,” located in the northeast quadrant of County Road 266 and County Road 222, extending toward County Road 264. Developed by Trademark Quality Homes Inc. and surveyed by VSI Engineering and Surveying, the 92.8-acre subdivision will be divided into 11 residential lots ranging from 3.79 acres to 23.46 acres, with four access points on County Road 266, one on County Road 222 and one on County Road 264.
Commissioner Sam Bradford reported year-end totals for the county roadside litter collection initiative funded through the commission and Chambers Troop LLC. Work crews cleaned 67 miles of county roadways, collecting approximately 10,000 pounds of trash, with pickup and hauling assistance provided by the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office.
Commissioners reminded the public that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and highlighted local survivor support organizations, including Hope Heals Within, which will hold its 10th annual Breast Cancer Walk on Saturday, Oct. 17, in downtown LaFayette, as well as the Lanett-area Team WHIP initiative.
Commissioners recognized participants from the current Leadership Chambers County cohort attending the meeting, including Michael Murphy, Alecia Flanders and Laura McKay, congratulating them as they complete their final coursework ahead of graduation.
Harvill noted highway crews will address maintenance needs and pavement fatigue along County Road 500 over the coming days.
A Rules, Ways and Means Committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 19, at 2 p.m. CT, followed by the next regular commission meeting at 4 p.m. CT. Chambers County offices and the county courthouse will be closed Monday, Oct. 12, in observance of Columbus Day.
