Last week, TDA led a group of transportation leaders on a meaningful and productive visit to Washington, D.C. During the trip, we met with members of Wisconsin’s congressional delegation to emphasize the importance of continued transportation investment and the essential role federal funding plays in supporting our state’s economy and communities.

As Wisconsin faces a transportation funding shortfall heading into the next state budget, it is essential that federal surface transportation programs be reauthorized in a timely manner and at amounts that exceed current levels, accounting for inflation. The current reauthorization expires at the end of this federal fiscal year, Sept. 30.

Our afternoon briefing featured distinguished speakers, including WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman; Lauren Schapker, vice president of legislative affairs at the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA); and Carolyn Kramer Simons, senior director of state funding policy at ARTBA and leader of its Transportation Investment Advocacy Center.

One of the event's highlights came on the second day, when U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy addressed the group and took questions. Secretary Duffy spoke on a wide range of topics, including the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization, modernizing our aviation systems, and improving safety on our roadways. Special thanks to TDA President Robb Kahl of the Construction Business Group and Terry McGowan, president and business manager of the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 139, for helping arrange Secretary Duffy’s participation in the TDA Fly-in.

As always, the Fly-in provided an excellent opportunity for engaging discussions and productive meetings with our delegation. It also allowed participants to reconnect with colleagues, build new relationships, and enjoy time together.

Thank you to all the participants, sponsors, and speakers who helped make this year’s event a success.

Click here to see TDA's briefing materials.

Join us for breakfast and an engaging roundtable discussion on Wisconsin's transportation future.

Hear directly from local officials, community leaders, and industry partners about the current state of our transportation infrastructure, emerging opportunities, and their real-world impacts on our neighborhoods, businesses, and the state’s economy.

Together, we'll reflect on the progress we've made and the challenges still ahead as we work to preserve a safe, modern, and interconnected transportation system that keeps Wisconsin moving forward, strong, and competitive.

Candidates and legislators will be in attendance.

Your voice and perspective matter. We hope you'll join the conversation.

Regional Turnout for Transportation Roundtables

7:30 - 9:00 a.m.

Ready to attend? RSVP today.

Governor Tony Evers is calling on U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to take immediate action to avoid delays in the long-planned replacement of the aging John A. Blatnik Bridge connecting Superior, Wisconsin, and Duluth, Minnesota. In a letter sent this week, the governor warned that uncertainty around the release of federal funds could jeopardize the critical project.

Built in 1961, the bridge carries more than 33,000 vehicles each day and supports over 265,000 trucks annually, moving nearly $4 billion in goods and serving as a key link to the Port of Duluth-Superior and U.S.-Canada trade.

After years of advocacy, Wisconsin and Minnesota secured a more than $1 billion federal grant in 2024 to replace the bridge. Both states also committed an additional $400 million to the project. Construction is expected to begin later this year and support roughly 1,100 jobs annually.

Evers cautioned that delays could significantly increase costs, potentially by $80 million per year due to inflation, and extend the timeline for replacing this vital regional connection.

Brine Boosts Winter Road Safety

A new study finds that liquid salt brine clears winter highways as effectively as traditional rock salt while using 40–72% less material. Field tests on parallel routes in two counties showed that brine-treated sections maintained pavement friction comparable to routes treated with granular salt.

Led by UW–Madison’s Traffic Operations and Safety (TOPS) Laboratory through the multi-state Clear Roads research program, the study confirms salt brine as a reliable tool for winter maintenance. For local agencies, the findings offer clear safety, budget, and environmental benefits. WisDOT data shows that about $1,000 of rock salt covers nearly 70 lane miles, whereas the same amount of salt used in brine can treat over 175 lane miles. This approach helps Wisconsin’s 72 counties maximize resources while keeping winter travel safe and reliable.

Treasury Report Highlights Highway Trust Fund Gap

The U.S. Treasury’s latest quarterly Treasury Bulletin offers a detailed look at how federal highway user fees performed in fiscal year 2025, and the numbers reinforce a well-documented challenge. Revenue flowing into the Highway Trust Fund continues to fall short of the amount needed to support federal transportation programs.

This shortfall was one of the issues Fly-in participants discussed with Wisconsin’s delegation last week in D.C. 

Gasoline tax revenue rose compared to the previous year, with diesel receipts seeing an even stronger increase. At the same time, revenue tied to heavy truck and trailer sales dropped significantly as fleets pulled back on purchasing new equipment. Receipts from the annual heavy vehicle use tax also declined unexpectedly, which analysts say may be related to payment timing issues.

Overall, highway user fees generated about $45 billion in revenue. That total fell well short of federal highway spending alone, underscoring the ongoing reliance on supplemental funding from the federal government to keep transportation programs running.

TDA Out and About

As you can see on the map below, local governments have begun responding to our outreach efforts.

March

Project Spotlight

TEA Grant Fuels Dairy Expansion in Clark County

Grassland Dairy Products, Inc. is expanding operations in the Town of Eaton to meet growing demand. The expansion is expected to significantly increase truck traffic to and from the facility.

To support this growth, a section of Fairground Avenue will be reconstructed and improved. The project will help support more than 40 new jobs and retain approximately 484 existing positions tied to the facility, strengthening an important part of Wisconsin’s dairy supply chain.

A $469,311 Transportation Economic Assistance (TEA) grant from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation will help fund the road improvements. The Town of Eaton sponsored the grant application with support from Clark County and the local business community.

Read More

2026 TDA Events

• Turnout for Transportation Roundtables, six events in May (see above)
• Annual Meeting, Nov. 12

Thank You to Our 2026 Organizational Sponsors

Upcoming Industry Events

The Construction Business Group Conference will take place on May 6 at the Madison Club.

This event features an amazing lineup of speakers, topics, and networking opportunities. Conference attendees include building trade professionals, contractor association staff, contractor executives, utility representatives, and government officials.

More details and registration information are available here.

If you would like TDA to consider including your organization's update or event in an upcoming newsletter, please forward information to Luke Pearson at luke.pearson@tdawisconsin.org.