The Mississippi Transportation Commission approved $250 million in funding Tuesday for 163 Emergency Road and Bridge Repair Fund (ERBRF) projects.
The bulk of the funds, $213 million, will be given to city and county governments for local road projects, and the remainder will go to the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) for state highway projects.
ERBRF will repair or replace 200 bridges; 91 of which have posted weight restrictions and 99 are closed.
“The Transportation Commission worked closely with MDOT and the advisory board to ensure the most effective statewide allocation of funds which improves public safety and strengthens Mississippi’s economy,” Tom King, southern transportation district commissioner, said. “The selected projects will replace closed and posted bridges, reopening many agricultural and commerce corridors as well as providing safe passage for emergency vehicles and school buses.”
The commission received 690 applications totaling nearly $1 billion. Projects were selected based on multiple criteria including economic impact, mobility, traffic volume, project readiness, and the bridge’s condition.
The $250 million is a start to addressing the state’s critical infrastructure need, Dick Hall, chairman of the commission, said, but continued funding is needed to repair the state’s deteriorating and crumbling infrastructure.
ERBRF was established last year by the Mississippi Infrastructure Modernization Act.