Tired of bad roads and crumbling bridges? So is the Mississippi Economic Council. They’ve urged the Legislature to find a solution before the end of the 2017 session.
The MEC delivered a message in the rotunda of the State Capitol to on behalf of all Mississippians that Mississippi Roads Matter. They called for a solution to the deteriorating road conditions across the state.
More than 4,800 people filed “Road Maintenance Requests” saying that they would support a plan to redevelop Mississippi’s roads and bridges if it was passed during the session. The MEC brought those 15 bound books with the forms and delivered them to the Legislature.
“Mississippi’s citizens understand the importance of a safe and reliable transportation system and what it means for our economy,” said Scott Waller, Executive Vice President and COO of the Mississippi Economic Council. “The overwhelming response from citizens is an example of why we must continue to make increasing funding for the repair of our transportation system a top priority.”
MEC released a study in December of 2015 that showed thousands of miles of hazardous roads in Mississippi. Over 2,300 bridges are not able to support vehicles carrying the legal weight limit they were originally built for.
Fixing the roads could save tax payers an average of $530 in vehicle damage and if the roads were better that would create over 7,000 jobs in the state every year.
