VIDALIA — An engineering firm will drill out cores of all the phase I parish roads in the next few weeks to determine if the roads meet state standards.

The Concordia Parish Police Jury announced the project at Monday’s meeting.

Recently laid parish roads have started deteriorating earlier than should be expected, jury members have said.

Police Jury President Melvin Ferrington said the core samples would show what kind of foundations the roads had and how deep they went.

“Without a foundation, there won’t be a road,” Ferrington said. “(The roads) should last at least 15 years with minor maintenance, and less than a year later, they’re falling apart.”

If the roads don’t meet specifications, the police jury will require they be fixed, he said.

Blain Companies, of Natchez, were contracted to complete the first phase in reconstructing parish roads. Cracks and structural problems appeared soon after the roads were laid, police jury members have said.

Police jury member Jimmy Jernigan has said Blain has refused to take significant action to permanently fix the roads.

“We as a jury are getting tired of this whole cat-and-mouse game,” Jernigan said Monday.

The police jury has discussed looking into taking legal action against the contractor.

“We are prepared to do what is necessary to bring (the roads) up to specifications,” Ferrington said.

The jury would wait to see the results of the core tests before they further discussed any legal action, he said after the meeting.

In other business:

4The board approved an election to renew the 8.5 mil library tax. The library board requested a special election and will pay for the election.

4The board approved a 5-ton weight limit on Serio Boulevard.