JEFFERSON — Federal stimulus funds are officially at work in Jackson County on a roadway resurfacing project, according to Georgia Department of Transportation officials.

Construction crews began patching “deeply damaged areas of asphalt” along Ga. 82/Athens Highway on Friday. The project will stretch from Ga. 11 Business in Jefferson to the Barrow County line.

“Patching the roadway will take about a week. Crews will remove the (deeply damaged) asphalt and replace it with new asphalt,” said Randall Davis, GDOT district construction engineer.

“This work isn’t as temperature sensitive as the resurfacing. After patching is complete, work will stop until weather is warmer and the resurfacing can begin in the spring.”

In addition to resurfacing, the 6.2-mile-long project will also include the addition of 2-foot wide shoulders along the roadway.

Construction crews are expected to be patching the project area from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. during the week. Flaggers will be stopping traffic as necessary. During the periods when flaggers are directing traffic, a pilot vehicle will lead drivers through the construction zone.

When work starts up again in the spring, crews are expected to be on site from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m.

The project is projected to cost around $961,500, which is fully covered by federal funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. There are no local or state matching funds required, GDOT officials say.

The Ga. 82 resurfacing project is the first and only stimulus project planned thus far for Jackson County, GDOT spokeswoman Teri Pope said.

So far, more than $48 billion in stimulus funds have been spent to improve transportation infrastructure nationwide. Of that amount, $340 million has been spent in Georgia, with Hall County receiving more than $2 million.

The entire Jackson County project is expected to be completed by May 31.