In a time where the funding for Mississippi’s roads and bridges is the hot topic at the state Capitol, the closing of 100 bridges could lead to a loss of federal funds.
State Aid Engineer Carey Webb said that 100 Mississippi bridges were closed last week after a federal audit.
“They saw that in Mississippi a high number of level 2 bridges were still open,” said Webb. “So they came here to do an audit. It started in November and they just finished.”
The closings are not just inconvenient for Mississippi travelers, but could take a bite out of the federal funding for infrastructure.
“They could take the federal funds away from the state of Mississippi,” said Webb. “Until such a time as when the repairs are completed.”
Right now, Webb said he is unsure of a set deadline for the repairs to be made, and did not have a definite dollar amount for a penalty.
Some of the bridges, however, have reopened after quickly executed repairs.
“On one case in particular, I got word of a repair job starting on Thursday,” said Webb. “And then got the call on Friday that it was finished.”
In many cases, the piling, or the foundation of the bridge, was called into question with these statewide closings.
News Mississippi will continue to update this story as it develops.
