Mississippi is facing a crisis due to lack of funding for the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT), according to the Mississippi Transportation Commission. The issue has reached a critical point, and it all comes down to money, the commission said.
Members say the lack of money stems from lack of revenue coming in and increasing costs to maintain highways.
MDOT gets its money primarily from the fuel tax. Experts say that the fuel tax has been kept at the same rate since the 1980s when cars were less fuel efficient. Although MDOT reportedly made $80 million from the lottery, maintenance costs have gone to over $400 million a year.
According to MDOT, the total cost for all future projects is $9 billion.
Officials say that without the funding, projects such as the expansion of Highway 15 or Highway 7 will not get done.
Some legislators have said they will work to give MDOT the funding it needs, but they will not raise taxes.
