Road conditions at a Craig Field neighborhood had one resident looking for answers at Monday’s Dallas County Commission meeting.

Wingate Street resident Johnny Calhoun addressed the commission hoping to find a solution to deteriorating roads in the Craig Field area.

“It is a very serious matter,” he said. “It’s sad. We as residents are tearing up our cars out there.”

Potholes on streets in the area have become so bad, Calhoun said, that simple patching doesn’t always do the job. Calhoun invited the board to take a first-hand look at the area.

“I’m asking you gentlemen if you will take a look,” he said. “They’re no longer fillable.”

The streets have been visited, Commissioner Roy Moore said. However, making repairs isn’t always as easy as sending out a road crew.

“The state of Alabama puts us in a situation where we can and can’t do repairs to some roads,” he said. “The state classifies roads as major or minor as far as traffic is concerned. They pretty much take neighborhood roads off the list.”

Major roads, Moore said, always get first priority when the commission sends its list of needed repairs to the state.

“If we had the funds we’d still have to ask permission,” he said.

Commissioner Connel Towns, who represents the district, said the county often loses money when patching roads. Most of Wingate, he said, has turned to dirt.

“Our main issue is trying to work out a way to get those roads paved,” he said. “It’s all about getting the funds we need. It’s our responsibility to maintain those streets. We want to work with y’all.”

Repairs to the road would come at a high cost, county engineer Coosa Jones said.

Jones, who has looked at the roads, said the use of a milling machine, which would cost $13,000, and $63,000 in asphalt would be needed for repairs. Construction costs could also be as much as $82,000. Jones said for the time being, crews could sweep and patch the roads to provide temporary relief.

The commission did receive good news on projects that were already in their plans. Federal funds, Jones said, have been awarded for projects on County Road 3 to construct a guardrail and end anchors. The $180,000 grant will also cover safety improvements on a portion of County Road 63.

The county, Jones said, was lucky to secure the funds for these repairs.

“We submitted a bunch of applications and we were fortunate enough to be selected,” he said.

The grant, Jones said, will require a 20 percent match.