Gov. Phil Bryant ordered the closing of over 100 deficient Mississippi bridges after receiving a warning letter from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Bryant declared a state of emergency, closing 83 bridges on April 10, 2018. Since then, the number has shot up to 106.
According to WAPT, the bridges were inspected and deemed unsafe by the Mississippi Office of State Aid and Road Construction and the federal National Bridge Inspection Standards. The bridges will remain closed until brought up to code.
Gov. Bryant explains the risks of keeping these bridges open to the public.
“These bridges have been deemed unsafe for the traveling public,” Bryant said. “Keeping them open constitutes an unnecessary risk to public safety, violates the corrective action plan agreed upon by the state and federal government and jeopardizes federal infrastructure funds Mississippi receives.”
Although Bryant is disinterested in increasing fuel tax to pay for the estimated $2 billion project, he is willing to consider cutting income taxes to offset a fuel tax increase. A permanent solution has yet to be decided.
You can find a complete list of closings here.