By Associated Press
Montgomery, AL – County commissioners from across the state are asking the Legislature to pass a 275 million dollar bond issue next session to fund building new bridges or to repair some of the old ones. More than 1,500 bridges on Alabama county roads have received failing grades under federal standards.
Officials with the Association of County Commissions of Alabama are asking county engineers to take legislators on a tour next week of bridges and roads that need to be repaired or replaced.
The condition of bridges received national attention in August after the collapse of an interstate bridge in Minneapolis.
State Representative Mike Hill, a Columbiana Republican, introduced a bill last session for a 275 million dollar bond issue. But the measure did not make it out of the House Government Appropriations Committee. Hill said he will introduce the bill in the upcoming session. He said its success depends on finding a source of revenue to pay back the bonds. His bill last session listed raising the gas tax as a way to pay back the bonds.
Governor Bob Riley has not said whether he would support a bond issue for repairing roads and bridges.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)