There are plenty of suggestions but little agreement on how to fix Missouri’s deteriorating roads and bridges.

At least a dozen proposals are being floated in Jefferson City as transportation takes center stage during the legislative session.

Some ideas would involve increasing taxes. Others would take funding from existing sources. All agree that something needs to be done.

Missouri Bridge Engineer Dennis Heckman told state regulators last week that more than one billion dollars is needed to replace 12 major bridges and renovate 20 others over the next decade.

One positive step was the recent approval of a timely and economically feasible construction model for replacing the Champ Clark Bridge at Louisiana. The 88-year-old span is at the top of the state’s list of priority projects.

A federal grant received last year to help offset the 60 million dollar cost requires that work be under way by September 30th of 2017.