Governor Mike Parson toured three bridges in Mid-Missouri Thursday to promote his $351 million bond package to repair 250 bridges.
Parson said infrastructure, specifically bridges, and workforce development are his two top priorities this year.
“As we keep traveling across the state of Missouri we realize that there’s some serious problems with our infrastructure in the state and that we have to face the fact that we have to figure out how we’re going to deal with this.”
About 13 percent of Missouri bridges are structurally deficient, according to a report from the American Road and Transportation Builders Association.
The bond still has to be authorized by the legislature. A resolution authorizing the bond passed out of the Senate Rules Committee earlier this month, but a number of lawmakers in both parties have questioned whether to commit the state to repaying the $351 million in debt.