Gray’s elected officials were so impressed with the success of the Jones County commissioners following their meeting with the Georgia Department of Transportation commissioner that they made a trip to Atlanta themselves last week.

City Councilman David Tufts said he, Benny Gray and Decius Aaron visited GDOT Commissioner Harold Linnenkohl November 6 and the commissioner agreed to help Gray with five streets. Tufts said the Gray delegation also met with State Rep. Jim Cole while they were in Atlanta.

He said Cole called him after the meeting and was encouraged about requested help from the GDOT with overhead street signs at the intersection of West Clinton and the Bill Conn Jr. Parkway and Gray Highway and Joycliff Road.

Jones County commissioners visited Linnenkohl in July and returned with the promise of more than $500,000 in road assistance. That was the inspiration for the visit from Gray officials.

“It was a productive meeting. I’m glad we were able to do this,” Gray said. “After reading the article in the paper about what the county received, I brought the idea to council.”

The councilman said the group was encouraged by Linnenkohl and incoming commissioner Gena Abraham to come back to Atlanta in six months.

Tufts said Jefferson and Cleveland streets will be resurfaced under the GDOT Local Assistance Road Program, and Childs Street, Office Park Drive and Jefferson Lane will be paved with the help of a GDOT contract with the state paying 60 percent of the cost.

Tufts said the contracts will be bid out by the GDOT in April 2008.