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As previously noted, the 1997 Legislature extended the Gaming Road Program taxes in order to fund the Biloxi Connectors as a top priority, the Gulfport Connector and other projects. There was no mention of federal funds or any other funds. The Biloxi Connector was funded as a $50 million four-lane, ground level road.
However, by November 1999, MDOT had turned the $50 million road plan into a proposed $200 million, six lane, overhead expressway for which there was no funding, because MDOT had used most all of the money adding lanes to I 10 in Harrison County; had approximately more than doubled the cost on the widening of Highway 49, Cowan Lorraine Road, and the Ocean Springs Connector to I 10. Subsequently, the Biloxi and the Gulfport escalated to $300 million each.
After delay after delay of MDOT promises to start building the connectors, Gerald Blessey and I revealed, in a written article, dated 2/2/200, that the Gaming Road Program funds had been spent or committed and that there would be no connectors without additional funding. Wayne Brown refuted us by saying that “The delay has not been because of a lack of funding. It is very rare that the money is in there when we start studying the project.” MDOT was given money to build a road, not study it.
Similarly, MDOT had the same problems with the 1987 Four Lane Program, which was revealed in May 2000, that MDOT was years behind schedule in building the highways and needed up to $5 billion dollars to complete a Program that started as a $1.2 billion program in 1987.
By July 2000, MDOT had to admit, that it was out of money in both programs and could build no more roads without additional funding.
The MDOT Tune Changes
A SUN HERALD article dated 12/13/00, titled, “Gulfport likely to get connector road first,” bylined, “Biloxi highway plan has more obstacles, commissioner says,” revealed the following information:
A north-south connector highway for Gulfport is expected to be built before one for Biloxi, Southern District Transportation Commissioner Wayne Brown confirmed.
The Biloxi City Council on Tuesday learned that the Biloxi highway has been postponed again. The council asked Mayor A. J. Holloway to schedule a workshop with the Mississippi Department of Transportation to put Biloxi’s connector on the front burner.
Council members are concerned that MDOT has postponed public hearings on a route from late this year to March 2001. They said that if Gulfport’s highway is built first, it would give that city three north-south arteries, compared to one in Biloxi…
Brown said that he expects both the Gulfport and Biloxi routes to be approved within six months and said design work on both will begin immediately thereafter.
Brown said, “If somebody knows of an inexpensive way to build a bridge across the bay, I wish they would tell me how.” Brown said it makes more sense to start the Gulfport connector first, because it can be built in stages that will improve traffic flow immediately. In Biloxi, you have to build a bridge, a very large bridge over the bay, or you won’t have anything.”
Mr. Brown’s disingenuousness is revealed yet again. It was MDOT’s design of the route that made the route so big and so expensive. In regard to his statement that if the Biloxi road is done first, a bridge would have to be built over the Biloxi Bay, as a reason to not do the Biloxi route first, that is exactly the reason the route is needed. One can find a land route to get out of Gulfport; you almost cannot get out of Biloxi unless you are a good swimmer.
A SUN HERALD news article dated 9/5/01, titled, “Brown doubts Harrison will get more MDOT money,” stated:
Harrison County Probably won’t get more money from the Mississippi Department of Transportation of Transportation, Commissioner Wayne Brown told the Gulfport Business Club on Tuesday.
Nor does the transportation department plan to ask the Legislature in the coming session for more money to build nor-south connector roads in Harrison County, Brown said…
“We won’t need any serious money for two years, so we’re just staying with our current revenue stream…Our sense from the Legislature is that they don’t want us to ask for more money, and they don’t want to give it to us…
Brown said construction of the Gulfport connector could begin in three years.
The Gulfport hearing has been delayed because MDOT is still doing environmental reports.
A SUN HERALD news article dated 9/6/01, titled “MDOT’s list of Gulf road priorities not Harrison’s,” reveals:
Harrison County leaders disagree with how the Mississippi Department of Transportation is spending for the Coast. They believe casino revenue should be used for infrastructure and north-south connector roads, not Interstate 10.
Harrison County Supervisor Larry Benefield said, “Unless we come up with something very creative and start using some of our federal money, we won’t get those connector roads. We don’t get to see the benefit of our gaming tax dollars.”…
Brown said the gaming money is supposed to be used on the interstate. “The gaming law provided for gaming funds to be used on I-10…That was not a MDOT initiative…
The above statement is indicative of the “MDOT Shuffle” that has been perpetrated on the citizens of Harrison County. One, who does not have some understanding of the ways that MDOT is funded, would be fooled by such disingenuousness statements. For instance, Brown said, “gaming money is supposed to be used on the interstate.” A truer statement would have been Gaming Road Program could be used on the Interstate.
There is no statute or regulation that would prohibit federal funds from having been used on the Interstate. MDOT’s decision to use Gaming Road Program funds on I 10 is purely arbitrary with Commissioner Wayne Brown and MDOT officials. For instance, the widening of Interstate 10 in Jackson and Hancock Counties was done with federal funds. Both of these counties have received Gaming Road Program funds, Federal Funds, and 1987 Four-Lane Program funds. Fairness dictates that Harrison County should get a fair share of federal funds, not to mention the 1987 Four-Lane Program funds.
The SUN HERALD continued:
Brown said that MDOT’s budget is $800 million per year. Abut $350 million per year comes from the federal government, $53 million per year from the Gaming Road Program, and the rest ($400 million) comes from the State, mostly the gasoline tax…
Brown said construction on the Gulfport connector…could begin in three years. Work on the Biloxi connector could begin in four years.
A SUN HERALD article dated 9/12/01, titled, “MDOT seeks record $947M budget,” reveals:
The Mississippi Department of Transportation is seeking a record $947 million budget, with increased driven by demands for more equipment.
MDOT officials made mo mention of the much debated north-south connector in traffic-clogged Harrison County during its presentation for the budget year that starts July 1, 2002.
A SUH HERALD article dated 2/6/02, titled, “Connector possible in 5 years,” bylined, “Commissioner calls MDOT’s schedule optimistic,” reveals the following:
Butch Brown…told business leaders…that a long awaited connector road …in Gulfport is scheduled to be finished in five years or less.
But Wayne Brown…at the same meeting…said the five-year time frame is optimistic.
The article pointed out that Wayne Brown has recently said that work on the road, which has not been funded, might not even begin for five years o more, and completion could be several years beyond.
If the Executive Director Butch Brown and Commission Wayne Brown furnish conflicting information, as the above, at the same meeting, on when the connector will begin and will be finished, what does that tell citizens? 13 |
