Looking for an opportunity to stretch road dollars throughout the different districts, Trigg County Fiscal Court magistrates Monday night approved Judge-Executive Stan Humphries to apply for a rubber modified asphalt grant application — one that would allow the full length of Tuggle Road to be resurfaced.
Jeff Broadbent, of Cerulean, was the lone “nay” decision.
And he asked Humphries how Tuggle Road was selected.
State officials have continued testing rubber modified asphalt through a trial project as a potential paving option with long-term benefits.
Rubber modified asphalt is made by blending traditional asphalt binder with crumb rubber from recycled tires. While it carries a higher upfront cost — exceeding $100,000 per mile — it is designed to improve pavement performance by increasing durability and resistance to cracking, rutting and other wear.
The material is especially suited for high-traffic areas and regions with extreme weather, with a lifespan that can exceed 20 years. That longevity can help offset initial costs by reducing the need for frequent maintenance.
The environmental impact is also a key factor. Each lane mile paved with rubber modified asphalt can reuse up to 2,000 discarded tires, helping reduce waste and address scrap tire disposal concerns.
In addition, the material can reduce road noise by an estimated 7 to 12 decibels, making it attractive for use in urban areas. It also improves skid resistance in wet conditions, enhancing safety by lowering the risk of accidents on slick roadways.
In other fiscal court news:
+ Humphries and County Road Supervisor Brandon Calhoun confirmed that Trigg County has more than 750 county roads of which they try to service on annual rotation.
Three roads no longer on the county road list, however, are one-tenth of Lakota Drive, eight-hundredths of Lowery Lane and seven-tenths of International Drive. The county is still in charge from US 68/80 to the Arrowhead Golf Course Pro Shop, but the rest of Lakota now belongs to the City of Cadiz. This section of Lowery has become a private road, and International is served by the City of Cadiz through the Industrial Park.
+ Magistrates also approved the annual budget set forth by current Trigg County Jailer James Hughes. It his 19th budget in office, one he was first elected to in 2007, and this year offers a near $8,000 reduction from 2025 to $706,400. His salary moves to $71,800 annually, a modest 2.7% increase, while $30,000 was added to the deputy jailer line item following a retirement. Routine medical expenses were trimmed to $40,000, while the “Housing Juveniles” line item was slimmed to $5,000 because they haven’t had a young offender in two years.
Furthermore, Hughes and Humphries affirmed that the Christian County Jail continues to “do great” by Trigg County, by not increasing their per day inmate fee of $30. More than $250,000, however, has been assigned to pay for inmate boarding in 2026-27.
+ David Hazelmyer, a long-time resident and active member in local civics, was unanimously approved to fill Ken Culwell’s seat on the Cadiz-Trigg County Planning and Zoning Commission. His term ends June 30, 2027.
