Gov. Tate Reeves is asking the Mississippi Legislature for $1.3 billion to fund transportation projects for roads and bridges across the state. In a press conference on Thursday, Reeves said the projects would increase competitiveness.
The governor said the proposal focuses on projects that include “widening Mississippi’s highways, pavement, rehabilitation and restoration, and interchange improvements.”
“These projects will make it easier to move products and will make it easier to move people across our state,” he said. “It will help make Mississippi more competitive. It will help commuters. It will entice more businesses to relocate here, and it will make it easier to visit and spend money in our beautiful state.”
Reeves suggested the Legislature could pull the funding from $1.5 billion that is available in the state capital expense fund.
A map shows various projects around the state that Gov. Tate Reeves asked the Mississippi Legislature to fund on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023. Map courtesy State of Mississippi
“By funding these projects, Mississippi can send a signal to businesses around the world that our state has dependable, reliable, and safe roads that make it easier for companies to get their products to the market,” he added.
‘More Bang For Our Buck’
Mississippi Department of Transportation Executive Director Brad White welcomed the governor’s legislative proposal in a statement posted on the agency’s website Thursday.
“There is no better use for the one-time money our state currently has than investing in a core function of government—our state’s public infrastructure. I applaud Gov. Tate Reeves and the Legislature for their vigorous support and focus on Mississippi’s transportation system,” he said. “Should the Legislature provide MDOT supplemental dollars again, we will be better equipped to enhance our transportation system on a statewide level from the standpoints of safety, mobility and economic development for both the immediate future and generations to come.”
Under Reeves’ proposal, Mississippi’s northern district would receive $470 million; the southern district would receive $360 million; and the central district would receive $275 million. The governor is requesting $85,245,773 for ongoing projects, to “free up funds, providing MDOT with further flexibility
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