County supervisors in 63 counties have been told that more than 300 bridges in Mississippi should be closed.
State Aid Engineer J. Brooks Miller wrote a letter Friday urging county supervisors to immediately close bridges on the verge of collapse and report any repairs to county engineers. The list of more than 300 bridges accompanied the letter.
The collapse of a century-old bridge that killed three in Wayne County on Nov. 2 has spurred state and county officials to review bridge inspections and close shaky structures.
A 2001 inspection report described the bridge in “imminent failure condition,” but it remained open. Wayne County supervisors said they had shored up the bridge to hold up to 6,000 pounds, or average car and truck traffic.
In the letter sent Friday, Miller said he wanted to remind supervisors “these things will fall” if not properly shut down and repaired.
