MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - It would be a bumpy path in keeping up with the concrete roads in Ouachita Parish if more of those types of streets are built.
"It would take a million dollars to build and buy the equipment for concrete. We would have to hire a bunch of people. We cannot afford it," Police Juror Mack Calhoun said.
Police Juror Mack Calhoun oversees Public Works, and says there's no money for the parish to continue building concrete roads. But property developers should have the choice to choose whether to use asphalt or not.
"If someone wants to build a beautiful subdivision and put concrete. In my opinion, I welcome it," Calhoun said.
Engineer Kevin Crosby told parish leaders concrete can have a life-span lasting more than 2 decades. Most of the roads residents are fed up with are the one's that have been around for more than 40 years.
"If the base is not properly prepared, it doesn't matter what you do. You know, I think a lot of the streets we are coming back and making repairs on now are old streets," Crosby said.
Crosby doesn't recommend police jurors choose asphalt only, but if they wanted to do a study, it'll come at a cost of $4,500. Police Juror Ollibeth Reddix believes workers the parish should take a look at the technology for road repairs before any other concrete roads are built.
"Perhaps by us not taking a deep look, at what is being done , we're able to get away with substances and sub-substances that give us a shorter life span," Reddix said.
Police jurors did not make a final decision on whether to only go the asphalt path. But they do say public works is doing what they can to maintain the parish roads with the budget that's given to them.
