The Sun-Herald's Anita Lee continues to school journalists in Mississippi. She busted a big-time boondoggle that took place on the coast. Wrap your head around this opening sentence: "The state of Mississippi has spent $158.5 million on a road that does not exist." Ms. Lee waded through the weeds and provided more horrifying details:
State and county leaders began planning 22 years ago for a road to connect Interstate 10 and the state Port of Gulfport. The Mississippi Department of Transportation started spending money on the project 20 years ago after the Legislature charged the agency with the task of building the road.
The road became a vital component of port plans to dramatically increase container cargo through a $570 million expansion the federal government funded after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
The port's plans have changed, though. No new container-cargo tenants have signed on for the expanded port, which should be finished in 2017.
Plans for the road wound up in federal and state courts. MDOT lost. The agency is now back at square one with environmental permitting that could take years.
State budget woes also have left MDOT and other agencies with less money. The port connector will be competing with projects statewide for funding.
"We've kind of become a maintenance organization," said Mark McConnell, MDOT's chief engineer. "We're trying to preserve what we have — our bridges and our pavement. Any kind of new construction is difficult to find the funding for."
The money MDOT has spent on the connector road covered preliminary engineering, rights of way purchases from private property owners, utility relocation and land clearing.
McConnell estimates the state will need an additional $215 million to build the road, with only $10 million of that remaining from a previous bond issue. The state also has authority to borrow an additional $125 million for the project, leaving an unfunded balance of $80 million. McConnell stressed the cost could change because estimates would have to be updated. Rest of the article. There is much more reported in this story.
You can't make this up.
Kingfish note: Speaking of reporters, have any of them bothered to report the findings of the MDE audit of Jackson Public Schools?
30 comments:
We should weed out this waste by drug testing welfare recipients.
Since the 60's Mississippi's elected officials attitudes towards infrastructure improvements have been terrible and counter-productive. Kick-the-can down the road economics at their finest - while skimming off appropriated dollars to pass garbage legislation.
The ass hats on the hill, down to the county level - ensure where roads are placed, who gets the contract to build the roads - all depends on who's holding the gavel on the hill at the present moment. And lets not give a pass to those that sit on the highway commission!
When they have the appropriated dollars to attack an assignment, its in their best interest to get'er done while having the means to do so! Because lets keep this in mind - our gasoline tax has been stagnant for the last 30 years (1987 was the last time it was raised), regardless of inflation. But instead, they take that money and blow it elsewhere! That was foolhardy and irresponsible and it sets us back further. It is currently estimated that in order to get our current roads and bridges up to date will cost us $550 million annually!? Do we need anymore evidence considering the current state of our roads?
Once again our resources are drained through corruption and mismanagement! Now we are underfunded and just plugging patches - which leads to uneven pavements and terrible mobility across the state! Due to the terrible roads, Mississippi leads the south in car wrecks per capita which is the reason car insurance rates are going up for Mississippians!
Look at the burden this places on Mississippians!? Look at registration costs for vehicles in Mississippi (your penalized for owning an update vehicle by higher tag costs), car insurance rates, annual maintenance costs (front end alignments, tires, rims, etc etc)
But instead our legislators gunning for smaller government - but want to control what you do in your damn bedroom!? Where are their damn priorities!?
Sounds like a Rudy Warnock project.
The Port of the Future with a channel depth from the past. A road paved with taxpayer dollars but not yet built for the trucks that need it. Thank you Haley Barbour and the other smart men involved for all the successes that were completed on your watch.
Just think of what shape the state of Ms. would be in if we didn't get back $3.07 for every $1.00 we pay in taxes. We are a welfare state.
On occassion, MDOT has completed projects in fine style. On other occassions, they have been totally wasteful and not responsive to the general public. They have pig-headedly given us the "too early to comment" and "too late to change" excuses when public comment is only a pro forma measure.
Has a study ever been done of the last 20 years and which consultants and contractors have provided excellent products, acceptable projects, and poor projects. How many of these projects have been performed for the amount the contractor bid?
How much per year has MDOT devoted to maintenance in the last 20 years? This should not include Katrina damage as that was covered by Katrina money.
Where are we on bridge repair? Other than Continental Tire, what new industries are requiring MDOT expenditures? What is the anticipated costs to the taxpayer for Continental Tire to be expended by MDOT.
We never get a comprehensive look at MDOT. It is always like this last year's "rush" for a new tax to benefit MDOT and how our state will not prosper without this huge expenditure. The amount they were willing to devote to projects within city limits was a pittance. The same trucks that consume so much of MDOT expenditure are running inside city limits too.
We need better articles, reports and summaries published in an understandable manner to the public.
@ July 16, 2016 at 2:04 PM
Touché hombre!
Don't be so hard on MDOT....they built a beautiful building across the street from the Capitol.
11:34 AM there have been 8 people from the TANF program who have tested positive for drugs in this state which is 14/100th of 1 per cent.
5:45, I'm sorry the joke was lost on you.
6:30 PM We have to focus on the important priorities in this state. The state saved a lifetime of paying TANF benefits when they found those 8 people. What is important are the people of this state not the $158 million highway projects or the $200 to $300 million state budget deficit.
The three stooges, Bryant, Reeves and Gunn, have bled the State's resources between an ill advised tax cut and unconstitutional social legislation (HB 1523) that limits our reputation and business prospects. All three stooges need to go. Now.
The cause of government debt? 1523!
The cause of the spread of ISIS? 1523!
Zika virus on the move? 1523!
Phil Bryant will be happy to know that the federal government passed out over $137 Billion in improper payments in 2015.Makes all of the waste in Mississippi look small in comparison.This is also much larger than all of the emergency contracts and tax cuts combined.I Pheel better now.
Haven't read any JJ comments in a couple of days. Realized this morning that I didn't miss anything because the same sock puppets with their same tired revisionist laments are still here.
8:11, Welcome back.
Not sure what was wrong with my 'entry' regarding people like Mayor Mary strong-arming the D.O.T. for years and actually, in effect, controlling the commissioners like puppets.
How many people in the TANF program did they test? If not all of them then why not?
On the $158 million. Why worry, Ms. has a lot of extra money. Just ask any politician. Ever see a broke politician?
Sorry that we have so many short-sighted, ignorant folks that feel that they could do a great job of running Mississippi.
A new road from the port to I-10 is an idea that needs to be done. But because of - environmental issues, land acquisition, lawsuits, and dozens of other issues - such a new road through an urbanized area isn't done in a vacuum or in a year.
Actually, the original idea that still needs to be completed is a new toll road highway that would connect to this 'port/I-10' connector to I-20. The truck traffic north from the coast to connect with 20 E/W and 55 N/S that currently has to travel on Hwy 49 loses thousands of dollars in gas and time on every trip.
But new roads are expensive. And folks that only travel to the coast to a concert or a slot machine don't have the foresight to recognize the needs. Be the same kind of folks that drive from Jackson or Flowood out to Dogwood, or even goes to Starkville and think what a wonderful world. Don't bother to realize that Lakeland Drive didn't exist 50 years ago, and Highway 25 was only built in the 80's. Then increased to a four lane fifteen years later. All that part of Rankin County developed around it - but never bother to say "thanks MDOT" or "thanks state leaders that had the foresight to plan ahead and build highways where they are needed -- for the future.
Instead, lets bitch about the money spent ahead of time to prepare for these things. Same thing could apply to all the work going on through Richland and Florence along Hwy 49 South now moving utilities. Money spent now but highway still is the same disaster - that is, until the new lanes are added to 49 to handle the traffic.
2:42, mostly the people bitch about all of the money WASTED. They also bitch about all of the money going into politicians POCKET.
I know politicians want to think they have the right to take any money they want. I know politicians do not worry about waste.
Hey, wait a minute. Are YOU a politician?
3:21 - Two questions:
(1) what politician has gotten what money into their pockets?
(2) What politician do you know that think they have the right to 'take' any money they want. (I assume you mean for their own personal use - if it is for a 'program' then the difference is who's opinion about those programs are correct - yours, mine or theirs.)
I'm not going to ask you about politicians that don't worry about waste, because I know of many of them myself.
And no - I am not a politician. Are you? (I assume not, but since that seems to be your automatic jump, thought I should give you the chance to tell the obvious, since I bet you don't answer the first two questions.)
(1) If a person is a politician they are dishonest. Just a fact. Part of the job. They make the laws for others to obey but have a different set of laws for themselves. See-Hillary
(2) Every politician. Bar none.
Drug test welfare recipients? Well, let's start with Congress, since they have those huge undeserved pensions and every other perk guaranteed even while they sell influence to betray the taxpayer.
Then let's drug test you jerks who get a home mortgage deduction.
How about drug testing your parents when they manage to liquidate their assets and get Medicaid to pay their nursing home bills?
People should be able to alter their consciousness and the state instead has turned this issue into a boondoggle for drug treatment centers (ineffective) and private prisons.
If you depend on the working people of America to pay your bills, raise your children, provide a place for you to live, and put food on your table, taking a drug test should not be a problem.
If you do not like that you can do all of these things plus pay your taxes and everyone will be happy.
What about the $500,000 water well that was drilled in the MDOT parking lot downtown? That was abour eight or nine years ago. It was supposed to provide water to the MDOT building, Woolfolk, the New Capitol and the Supreme Court. But they decided to cap it and not use it. They put a flower bed around the well cap. If you're in downtown Jackson, just drive by the MDOT building and look at the $500,000 well to nowhere - another MDOT project!!!!! The next time Jackson is without water, as yes it's coming sooner or later, thank MDOT for capping the water well. State employees can enjoy another week off with pay!
Use the BP money to build it. It needs to be done. It should be a top priority. Of course, the Jackson politicians will be spending that money all over the state when it should be spent in the coastal counties.
@ July 17, 2016 at 2:42 PM
"Actually, the original idea that still needs to be completed is a new toll road highway that would connect to this 'port/I-10' connector to I-20. The truck traffic north from the coast to connect with 20 E/W and 55 N/S that currently has to travel on Hwy 49 loses thousands of dollars in gas and time on every trip."
Well said! Say it again and keep driving that point home until the ass hats on the hill finally get a clue!
5:01 - everybody that cannot answer basic questions with anything but a b/s opinion without basis - is an idiot. Just a fact. Part of the role. Sorry Charlie, take your toys back to the kindergarten room and play by (with) yourself for a while. You don't belong in here with the big boys who actually think before they let their fingers get in the way
@12:43. The problem is that idiots like 5:01 will be saying over and again that it is nothing but crooked politicians that want to get a piece of the pie, and don't understand that many things are done for the public good, improve the state, and are not rife with corruption.
But hopefully the few folks that really bother to think about the future and how to improve the state will continue to see the need for this kind of infrastructure and continue to fight for its construction while fighting off the lawsuits and environmentalists.
1:05, yes Ms. is known for their honest politicians. There may be some people who do not think politicians are crooks. This is Ms. and you know what place we are in education.
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