The Ledger

By Becky Holland

Sometimes the best story starts with a simple question.

A local bus driver recently asked The Ledger how streets in Cochran are chosen for paving and repairs—something many residents have likely wondered while driving across town.

So we asked.

What we found is a process that’s both structured and local, according to a phone interview and email with Cochran’s mayor, Carla D. Coley.

Each year, the City of Cochran receives funding for street work through programs like the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Local Maintenance & Improvement Grant (LMIG), as well as additional Local Road Assistance (LRA) funds.

The LMIG funding requires the city to provide a match—typically around 10 percent—while LRA funds do not require a match.

That funding is then divided among the city’s council districts.

Each district is given a set amount of road work, measured in linear feet. For example, in 2025, each district received approximately 1,400 linear feet of paving, with an additional 1,790 linear feet recently awarded through LRA funds.

So who decides which streets get done?

According to city leadership, that decision is made by the individual council members for their districts.

In other words, each council member determines which roads in their area are prioritized for paving or repair.

While funding and allocations follow a set structure, the specific streets chosen can vary depending on the needs and priorities within each district.

For residents, that means concerns about road conditions may be best directed to their local council representative.

It’s a system that puts decision-making close to the neighborhoods themselves—but one that also depends on communication between residents and their elected officials.

And as for that bus driver’s question?

Now you know.