Bracey Harris

The Clarion-Ledger

The chairman of the Senate Highways and Transportation Committee says inspections by the Federal Highway Administration have led to the closure of more than 100 crumbling bridges in the past week.

Sen. Willie Simmons, D-Cleveland, warned his colleagues Friday that they might get some calls over the weekend about the closures.

Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves responded: “Thank you, Sen. Simmons. Random timing, I’m sure.”

REEVES: Ignoring roads 'not a conservative' position

Simmons' announcement comes after the death of a House bill that would have created an internet sales tax for online retailers with sales of more than $250,000 a year or more in Mississippi. House Bill 480, which had House Speaker Philip Gunn's backing, would have designated the funds for transportation work. Projections for the proposal showed that the collections could have generated an annual revenue of between $50 million and $175 million for needed repairs. Reeves on Monday announced that the Senate would let the legislation die on deadline, expressing concerns that it was unconstitutional. He pointed out that Alabama and other states have been embroiled in litigation due to similar legislation.

A House bond bill that would allow the state to borrow $50 million for needed repairs is still alive.

State Aid Engineer Carey Webb with the Office of State Aid Road Construction said his department is working to compile a list of the closures — all on local roads — and did not have an immediate figure for how many locations had been shut off. The office serves as the administrative agency for counties and informs them of which bridges have to be closed.

Webb said two teams went out with federal officials to inspect bridges with a substructure rating of two (bridges are rated on a scale of zero to nine), some of which were closed on the spot. Webb said his department would update the Legislature about the closures sometime next week.

Charles Sims, engineering manager for the Hinds County Public Works Department told The Clarion-Ledger that inspectors closed three bridges in the county. Sim said s one bridge located on Trotter Road in Bolton has already been repaired. He did not have a timeframe of when the two others located in Edwards and Unica would be operable.

Simmons told reporters after adjournment that the state's status of more than 3,000 deficient bridges could carry repercussions.

"If we don't take care of those bridges they could look at adjusting our federal funding," he said.

SEE ALSO: Long-term road funding unlikely

On Wednesday prominent members of the state's business community gathered in the Capitol's rotunda to call for increased funding. The Mississippi Economic Council, citing findings from a study conducted by the University of Southern Mississippi and Mississippi State University, says that an additional $375 million a year is needed for highways and bridges.

Contact Bracey Harris at 601-961-7248 or bharris2@gannett.com . Follow her on Twitter .