At their Tuesday night meeting the Newton County Board of Commissioners denied a task order for the survey and design of improvements to Livingston Lane over the protests of many of the residents who live on the dirt road and said that it had become too dangerous to drive on.

Many residents of Livingston Lane and Bill Road which adjoins Livingston Lane turned out at Tuesday's meeting to speak in favor of the petition brought forward by District 2 Commissioner Earnest Simmons with the support of District 4 Commissioner J.C. Henderson.

"We need to bring some attention to people who have been waiting for years," said Simmons.

Residents spoke of the dangerous conditions created by the lack of paved roads on Bill Road and Livingston Lane on which motorists drive well over the speed limit spraying stones and wrecking their cars occasionally when they lose control on the shaky ground.

"Does someone have to get killed or hurt really badly for my voice to be heard," asked Bill Road resident Melissa Adcock to the board. "I think that we really deserve as citizens of Newton County a road that is paved."

The $196,899 task order from transportation consultant J.B. Trimble for the survey and design of improvements to Livingston Lane including drainage improvements, road realignment and future paving was denied in a vote of 3-2 with District 1 Commissioner Mort Ewing, District 3 Commissioner Ester Fleming and District 5 Commissioner Monty Laster voting against.

"We've got a road prioritized list," said Fleming. "We've got limited funds. Where I'm coming from this project has just got to get in line."