This week, the city of Bogalusa is wrapping up paving projects on streets across the city.

Tuesday afternoon, paving crews were putting the finishing touches on Martin Luther King Drive, and after that the scheduled work will be done.

Public Works Director James Hall said the city has paved 2.22 miles and spent $146,000 per mile in asphalt to do it. Hall said the price tag might seem cheap, but the price of asphalt is actually low.

“That just shows you how expensive asphalt is,” he said. “If we had $20 million we could do all the roads in Bogalusa. But we don’t have $20 million.”

After the paving, striping will come, but Hall said the streets must cure first.

“If you paint it right after laying it, (the asphalt) sucks the pigment out of the paint and you won’t be able to see your lines,” he said.

Hall said he believes the city got its money’s worth out of the project.

“They did a good job, a real good job,” he said.

Hall said he expects the city will pave some neighborhood streets next, but he didn’t know when that would be or what neighborhoods might get picked.

“The mayor and I still don’t know what our next project will be,” Hall said.

Hall also said the city is keeping the costs of park repair in check. He said the city has only spent $1,095 on park repairs.

“We pay our people of course, but we’d pay them whether they’re working in the park or on a mower,” he said. “But so far out-of-pocket that was not expected, it’s only been $1,095.”