BRIDGES IN NEED OF REPAIR

The good news: Missouri has a well-developed road system. The bad news: The state's 23,000 bridges cost millions of dollars to maintain. And the latest report on safety inspections of Missouri's bridges show that 54 percent are deficient, either because they are functionally or structurally outdated.

All across the state, Missouri's highways and county roads provide easy access to every hilltop, valley, farm, subdivision and city. But the price of this intricate transportation grid is high, and the state's funding for highways hasn't been enough in recent years to keep up with the demands for bridge repairs or replacement.

Safety is a big concern for highway officials, who say bridges that pose a real threat are closed. But every time that happens, hundreds or thousands of motorists are inconvenienced and must find alternate routes. Instead of closing some bridges, weight limits are posted. In other cases the bridges are limited to one-lane access.

The solution, of course, is more money. But Missourians have been reluctant to assume big tax burdens to pay for more highway projects. At 17 cents a gallon, the state's fuel tax is among the lowest in the nation and, except for Oklahoma, the lowest in the Midwest. Bridges, after all, are only one component of the states's vast road network.

In any event, highway officials are keeping abreast of the repair and replacement needs across the state in an attempt to deal with the most serious problems first.