JACKSON, Miss.—Prosperity rides on good roads. The first question a new industry asks when evaluating potential location sites, is, “how do I get raw materials in and how do I get finished products out.”
That brings me to why I wrote this piece. Congress has debated for years whether to increase the weight and lengths of tractor-trailer trucks on our Interstates, which would impact roads across Mississippi and the nation. They are lobbying for longer double-trailer trucks — sometimes called “Double 33s “ — and heavier single trailer trucks.
I served 24 years in the Mississippi Legislature, both as a state representative and state senator. For the last 19 years, I have served as the Central District Transportation Commissioner for the State of Mississippi. As commissioner, I have made it my priority to make sure that Mississippi tax dollars are spent efficiently to build and maintain the safest roads and bridges, and do it on time and on budget.