MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1997 Regular Session

To: Highways and Transportation; County Affairs

By: Senator(s) Rayborn, Lee, Kirby

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO ANNUALLY TAKE OVER AND ACCEPT AS PART OF THE STATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM A SPECIFIED NUMBER OF MILES OF ROADS IN EACH COUNTY AS DESIGNATED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS; TO PROVIDE THAT THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT IS NOT REQUIRED TO ACCEPT SUCH ROADS UNLESS THE ROADS MEET STATE HIGHWAY STANDARDS OR THE COUNTY HAS PROVIDED FUNDS TO BRING THE ROADS UP TO SUCH STANDARDS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. The Mississippi Department of Transportation shall annually take over and accept as part of the state highway system up to ten (10) miles of roads in each county as designated by the county board of supervisors. The mileage so accepted is in addition to the total mileage limitation of eight thousand six hundred (8,600) miles which is set out in Section 65-3-3, Mississippi Code of 1972. The transportation department is not required under this section to accept any roads or portions thereof which do not meet state highway standards; however, instead of actually bringing any road up to the standards required by the transportation department, any county may place the funds necessary for such purpose in the hands of the department, and the department may expend sums for such purpose for the county. The department is authorized, when it finds that the public interest warrants, to use materials and engineering and supervisory service the department has available therefor in assisting a county in bringing such road up to its standards. The boards of supervisors of each county are hereby authorized to expend any funds available to the county for road purposes (other than state aid funds) to effectuate the provisions of this section.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1997.