Mississippi judge won’t order governor to reopen bridges

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – A Mississippi judge says he will not order the governor to reopen local bridges that are in poor condition.

In April, Gov. Phil Bryant ordered the closure of more than 100 bridges that he said were structurally unsafe.

Supervisors from Jasper and Smith counties filed a lawsuit May 2, saying the governor had overstepped his authority. The suit asked a judge to block the governor’s action.

WDAM-TV reports that Hinds County Chancery Judge William Singletary on Wednesday denied the supervisors’ request.

The bridge closures came roughly two weeks after Mississippi legislators ended their nearly three-month session without agreeing on a long-term plan to put more money into improving highways and bridges.

Bryant has said he will call lawmakers into special session if they can agree on a funding plan.

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Information from: WDAM-TV, http://www.wdam.com

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