New road equipment recently acquired by the county road department should start paving the way for better roads throughout Chilton County.

Through the Alabama County Commission Association (ACCA), the road department was able to purchase equipment through a bid list.

The county now has acquired five 2013 Caterpillar motor graders, seven 2013 Mack dump trucks, one 2010 Caterpillar 420 E backhoe, two 2010 Ford F150 4×4 pickup trucks and one 2013 Ford F250.

County engineer Tony Wearren said the motor graders came from Thompson Tractor Company that is listed on the ACCA bid list, the dump trucks came from the Nextran Trucks Corporation, the Mack dump trucks came from a dealership in Birmingham, the backhoe came from Caterpillar and the pickup trucks came from the Alabama Department of Transportation’s (ALDOT) surplus yard.

Wearren said the trucks are turned into ALDOT’s surplus yard every two years so the county acquired 2010 models.

By replacing old equipment, some of which was more than 17 years old, the newer equipment should provide better services to the roads throughout the county and be dependable without requiring routine maintenance.

Wearren auctioned six 2004 motor graders, four 1996 dump trucks, five 2004 dump trucks and an asphalt paver to acquire around $900,000 to help pay for the new equipment.