Mississippi § 65-26-5 - Construction of bridges or tunnels by State Highway Commission; cooperation with federal government.

§ 65-26-5. Construction of bridges or tunnels by State Highway Commission; cooperation with federal government.

The Highway Commission, subject to the Corps of Engineers’ approval of the plans, is hereby granted full and complete authority to perform any act necessary and proper to plan, construct and maintain any or all of the bridges or tunnels, authorized by subsection (2) of this section as funds are available, which shall span the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway from the funds derived from this chapter and any other funds available for such construction except that no state funds other than those explicitly provided by this chapter shall be used. The Highway Commission may construct bridges or tunnels, whichever is more feasible as determined by the commission, only on United States Highways 45, 72, 78, 82 and 278 and Mississippi Highways 4, 6, 25, 30 and 50, as funds are available as authorized by this chapter. Any bridge or tunnel constructed on United States Highways 45, 72, 78 and 82 shall have four (4) lanes. Any bridge or tunnel constructed on United States Highway 278 and Mississippi Highways 4, 6, 25, 30 and 50 shall have two (2) lanes. The bridges or tunnels shall be constructed by order of priority as determined by the Highway Commission based on the criteria of keeping the construction of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway on schedule. The Highway Commission is hereby authorized and directed, in the discharge of its duties under this chapter, to cooperate with the Corps of Engineers, and Department of Transportation and any other federal agency to receive any available federal funds or to secure the assumption by the federal government of all or any part of the costs of planning or constructing the bridges or tunnels and shall enter into an agreement that any bridges or tunnels on highways constructed or reconstructed, in whole or in part, with federal funds allocated for the purposes of this chapter shall be owned and operated by the State of Mississippi, and that the state will operate and maintain such bridges or tunnels or highways.