{"id":26022,"date":"2026-08-23T16:49:08","date_gmt":"2026-08-23T20:49:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/?p=26022"},"modified":"2026-08-23T16:49:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-23T20:49:08","slug":"origin-of-coppage-road-tree-canopy-2026-08-08","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2026\/08\/origin-of-coppage-road-tree-canopy-2026-08-08.html","title":{"rendered":"Origin of Coppage Road Tree Canopy 2026-08-08"},"content":{"rendered":"

\r\nOn Coppage Road, Lowndes County used curb and gutter to preserve both\r\na half canopy and a full canopy.\r\n<\/p>

\r\nThe process started in 2009, and Coppage Road was finally paved in 2016.\r\n<\/p>

\r\n\r\n\"[Origins<\/a>\r\n
Origins of Curb and Gutter, Coppage Road Tree Canopy, between Griffin Drive, and Skipper Bridge Road<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

August 2009: ASA Engineering to survey Coppage Road<\/h4>\r\n

\r\nThe Lowndes County archive server cannot find the minutes from that\r\nAugust 11, 2009, County Commission meeting.\r\n<\/p>

\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.lowndescounty.com\/Archive.aspx<\/a>\r\n<\/p>

\r\nHowever, using the main search box on lowndescounty.com finds those minutes:\r\n<\/p>

\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.lowndescounty.com\/DocumentCenter\/View\/497\/Board-of-Commissioners-Regular-Session-Minutes-for-August-11-2009-PDF?bidId=<\/a>\r\n<\/p>

\r\nNotice several more citizens spoke than the VDT recorded.\r\n

\r\n

\r\nCITIZENS WISHING TO BE HEARD\r\n<\/strong>\r\n<\/p>

\r\nChairman Paulk spoke to the audience regarding paving, for those attending and\r\nspeaking regarding Coppage Road.\r\n<\/p>

\r\nVicki Taunton, 5112 Coppage Road, stated she thought notification was to be sent to\r\nthe property owners when the road was to be paved. She\u2019d like Coppage Road to\r\nremain unpaved. She has a list of 22 parcel holders which are against the paving of the\r\nroad. Commissioner Lee stated that he was the Commissioner that asked for the road\r\nto be on the paving list. Commissioner Lee stated the right of way acquisitions are the\r\nfirst step in the paving process of a dirt road, then a neighborhood meeting would be\r\ncalled and notifications would be sent to them regarding the process for paving.\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/p>

\r\nLinda Miley, 4862 Coppage Road, is concerned with safety issues on Coppage Road.\r\nThe road is narrow in the canopy area, especially with passing vehicles. The road does\r\nwash out at times and is very difficult to drive on. Ms. Miley asked where the water run\r\noff would go and County Engineer, Mike Fletcher, responded that the water will go to\r\ndrainage ditches and wetland area; paving will prevent washing.\r\n<\/p>

\r\nStephen Taunton, 5112 Coppage Road, stated the road was narrower with deeper\r\nditches. Mr. Taunton expressed concern with the speed limit change due to his children\r\nand other children in the area. Mr. Tauton also expressed concern with an antique well\r\nin his yard; he doesn\u2019t want it to be damaged due to the road paving.\r\n<\/p>

\r\nGretchen Quarterman, 6565 Quarterman Road, praised Lowndes County regarding the\r\neffort in preserving the tree canopy on Quarterman Road.\r\n<\/p>

\r\nJohn Quarterman, 6565 Quarterman Road, stated that the citizens living on Coppage\r\nRoad should continue to ask the County questions regarding their road being paved and\r\nthe citizens should have input on which trees to save within their community. \r\n<\/p>

\r\nWynona Simmons, 5138 Coppage Road, believes there should be other options\r\navailable to the citizens before the road is paved.\r\n<\/p>

\r\nFOR CONSIDERATION\r\n<\/strong>\r\n<\/p>

\r\nProposal from ASA Engineering for Coppage Road East Paving Project, County\r\nEngineer, Mike Fletcher, presented the item for ASA Engineering to survey Coppage\r\nRoad. Commissioner Lee made a motion to accept the proposal from ASA Engineering,\r\nVice Chairperson Evans second. Motion carried.\r\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\r\n

September 2009: Coppage Road mentioned in VDT story about Quarterman Road<\/h4>\r\n<\/p>

\r\nSee Quarterman Road Tree Canopy 2026-08-08<\/a>.\r\n<\/p>

\r\n\r\nhttp:\/\/www.okraparadisefarms.com\/blog\/?p=10228<\/a>\r\n

July 2014: ASA Engineering Services for Coppage Road<\/h4>\r\n<\/p>

\r\nThen-County Attorney Mike Fletcher in the July 8, 2014, Lowndes County Commission Regular Session, proposed continuing to use ASA Engineering, this time for \r\n“horizontal and vertical surveying and to develop engineering plans”.\r\n<\/p>

\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/?p=9627<\/a>\r\n<\/p>

\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VmxtqchwjjE&list=PLshUv86fYkiH4FTj2R8jKNoPQvusMU1RY&index=15<\/a><\/p>

\r\nThe Minutes<\/a> say:\r\n

\r\n

\r\nEngineering Service for Coppage Road<\/strong>, County Engineer, Mike Fletcher, stated\r\npreviously in 2009, ASA Engineering and Surveying was used to develop Right of Way\r\nDeeds for Coppage Road. Staff is requesting to use this company for the remaining\r\nhorizontal and vertical surveying and to develop engineering plans for the completion of\r\nCoppage Road. This project amount is $ 47,525.00.\r\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\r\n<\/p>

\r\n\r\n\"[Lowndes<\/a>\r\n
Lowndes County Engineer Mike Fletcher, Coppage Road, 2014-07-08 @ LCC Regular Session –Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nMalynda Fulton, The Valdosta Daily Times<\/em>, August 11, 2009,\r\n\r\nResidents question Coppage Road paving project<\/a>,\r\n

\r\n

\r\nThe Lowndes County Board of Commissioners accepted a proposal for\r\nsurveying and right of way deed preparation on the Coppage Road East\r\npaving project after hearing several concerns from citizens who live\r\nalong the road.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nDuring the citizens wishing to be heard portion, one resident,\r\n“Vicky” expressed her desire to see the project stopped,\r\ndisplaying signatures from 22 homeowners who do not wish to donate\r\nright of way for the project. She also suggested that county\r\nofficials make sure that everyone is properly informed about the\r\nphases of the project so that rumors do not formulate. Vicky’s\r\nhusband expressed similar views and asked what could be done about\r\nthe road without paving it.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nLinda Miley said that her only issue was the safety of the road. She\r\nmentioned that the road is narrow, especially near the canopy area,\r\nwhich makes passing other vehicles difficult. She added that that\r\nportion of the road tends to wash out.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nCounty Engineer Mike Fletcher told Miley that the road will become\r\nsafer if it is widened and paved.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nWhile addressing other concerns, Fletcher said that a survey would\r\nbe done to see who will be affected before any decisions are made to\r\npave Coppage Road. A community meeting will also be held for the\r\nresidents who will be affected. If more than 50 percent of the\r\nhomeowners refuse to give right of way, the road will not be paved,\r\nFletcher said. Commissioner Richard Lee said that the Coppage Road\r\npaving project had been on the list of projects to be funded through\r\nSPLOST years ago. However, the project was taken off at one point.\r\nLee suggested that the project be added to the list again.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\n“It makes sense to pave the road since it is a connector road\r\nand I have received several complaints over the years about its\r\nsafety,” Lee said.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nUltimately, the commissioners unanimously approved a proposal from\r\nASA Engineering and Surveying to provide surveying and right of way\r\ndeed preparation.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe portion of Coppage Road that is subject to be paved connects Val\r\nDel and Skipper Bridge Roads. This portion has a 60-foot right of\r\nway.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nIf paved, the speed limit along the road will be set at 45 miles per\r\nhour to control aggressive driving.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

June 2015: Paving bids<\/h4>\r\n<\/p>

\r\nOn June 8, 2015<\/a>, Mike Fletcher presented three bids for paving Coppage Road,\r\nwith low bid from The Scruggs Company of $1,395,584.34.\r\n<\/p>

\r\n\r\n\"[Commissioner<\/a>\r\n
Commissioner Demarcus Marshall, Timing of Paving of Coppage Road, 2015-06-08 @ LCC Work Session –Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nAsked in that Work Session by Commissioner Demarcus Marshall how long it might take, \r\nhe said nine months to a year.\r\nBeginning in about 45 days.\r\n<\/p>

\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=T0APRfMCf9I&list=PLshUv86fYkiGy-EBt9dnN1rCpAVjtnP1s&index=10<\/a><\/p>

\r\nIn the Regular Session of\r\nJune 9, 2015<\/a>,\r\nFletcher said it was for about two miles, and included curb and gutter to preserve a portion of the canopy.\r\nCommissioners approved that low bid unanimously.\r\n<\/p>

\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VPMEZ5y3Gdg&list=PLshUv86fYkiFHpteTSLY-w0do7FqWVCrF&index=12<\/a>

December 2015: What Coppage Road looked like before paving<\/h4>\r\n<\/p>

\r\nHere’s a video of what Coppage Road looked like before paving,\r\nthat I took \r\non December 15, 2015<\/a>.\r\n<\/p>

\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=vMl_7fpUfHQ<\/a>\r\n<\/p>

\r\n\r\n\"[Before<\/a>\r\n
Before paving Coppage Road, 2015-12-07 –jsq for CRSG<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe half canopy is east of Griffin Drive.\r\n<\/p>

\r\n\r\n\"[Half<\/a>\r\n
Half Canopy on Coppage Road at Griffin Drive, 2026:08:08 10:40:10, –jsq for CRSG<\/a> https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/@30.9885726,-83.3107703,17z\/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0<\/span>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe full canopy is farther east on Coppage Road, up to where it dead-ends into Skipper Bridge Road.\r\n<\/p>

\r\n\r\n\"[Zoomed<\/a>\r\n
Zoomed Tree Canopy on Coppage Road, 2026:08:08 10:41:37, –jsq for CRSG<\/a> https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/@30.9892414,-83.2981912,17z\/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0<\/span>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nYou can clearly see the curb and gutter looking back into Coppage Road from Skipper Bridge Road.\r\n<\/p>

\r\n\r\n\"[Coppage<\/a>\r\n
Coppage Road seen from Skipper Bridge Road, 2026:08:08 10:43:16, –jsq for CRSG<\/a> https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/@30.9929883,-83.2922176,17z\/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0<\/span>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nSee also:\r\n