Missouri’s transportation chief discussed a scenario Wednesday with which many in Northeast Missouri are familiar.

Dave Nichols heads up the Missouri Department of Transportation. He told highway commissioners that a lack of funding will mean no new construction and a maintenance-only approach to most roads and bridges.

That means no replacement for the aging Champ Clark Bridge at Louisiana, no new crossings along Highway 79 north and south of Clarksville and no upgrade of Highway 54 between Mexico and Bowling Green.

In just two years, Missouri’s construction budget will drop significantly and federal dollars will dry up.

Nichols said the state will only be able to take care of eight thousand miles of the busiest roads. The remaining 26 thousand are mostly in rural areas and would get limited maintenance.

Voters last August rejected a constitutional amendment that would have increased the state sales tax to fund transportation projects, including a new Louisiana bridge.