TIFTON - A quarter-mile stretch of dirt road in Tift County has become the first in Georgia to get sprayed with a ``road stabilization'' product designed to be a cheaper alternative to paving dirt roads. <br>
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The spray, called EarthZyme, uses enzymes to bond soil together, creating a dense hard-as-concrete surface that should resist water penetration, wear and weathering. <br>
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More importantly, it's cheaper than paving dirt roads with asphalt -- an expense that most counties in rural Georgia cannot afford without state or federal money. <br>
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Tift County officials were joined at the demonstration Tuesday by road department officials from Richmond, Lee and Pike counties. <br>
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Wayne Shelly, supervisor of road construction in Richmond County, says counties could save thousands by not having to scrape and maintain dirt roads. <br>
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EarthZyme, made by a Canadian company called Cypher International Limited, works best with clay-based soils.