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Governor Evers and WisDOT recently announced hundreds of millions of dollars for more than 1,000 transportation projects. There is a numbing effect to the election-year deluge of planning, ribbon-cutting, and grant-making announcements. How will candidates, policymakers, and the public understand the benefits of these individual projects and grasp what makes the investments possible?
That is our challenge.
TDA Spotlight is a new messaging endeavor where we highlight specific projects that keep Wisconsin's economy moving in short, easy reads ready-made for sharing on social media platforms. We’ve already featured a variety of projects, including freight rail, passenger rail, transit, ports, roads and highways. TDASpotlight.org
Here are some examples:
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Town of Sylvester road improvement to increase Ag transportation efficiency | |
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Improving Ladwig Road in the Town of Sylvester (Green County) will benefit local farmers and town residents.
What is the “fix,” and how does it benefit the local agriculture industry and the community?
Upgrading Ladwig Road into a high-quality, Class A road with an Agricultural Roads Improvement Program (ARIP) grant will increase the productivity and profitability of area farmers and agricultural producers. For farmers and others currently using the longer state highway route to move fully loaded semi-trucks and tankers, this $359,000 project will decrease mileage by 65%, reducing labor and fuel costs, agricultural vehicle mileage, and equipment damage. Read more.
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LRIP-S funding allows Marathon County to address safety-challenged intersection | |
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Without LRIP-S funding, the county may have ended up with a pavement replacement project, which would not have addressed the intersection safety issues.
The opportunity or challenge? The intersection of County Highways K and WW had one of the highest accident rates in the county. CTH K is Marathon County’s most heavily traveled rural highway, and CTH WW has developing commercial properties. Speed on CTH K and the intersection’s skew and misalignment resulted in serious accidents. Read more.
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Long-anticipated I-41 project addresses congestion, safety, and aging infrastructure | |
A modern and safer I-41 between Appleton and De Pere with less congestion and increased travel time reliability will benefit the regional and statewide economy and improve the quality of life for commuters and others.
What makes the investment possible? Projects like I-41 are made possible by adequate and consistent transportation revenue, which recognizes the impact of construction inflation on purchasing power. If projects and, therefore, the projects’ benefits are delayed, costs go up. Read more.
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We’ve launched a user-friendly portal where you can upload an image and a few basic details. Our team can then write a short narrative that captures the significance of the projects in your part of the state.
Portal link
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$174M in State Funding for Local Road Improvements Announced | |
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Last week, Governor Evers and WisDOT announced $174 million in state funding for more than 1,000 critical local road improvement projects statewide.
WisDOT will fund these projects through the Local Road Improvement Program (LRIP). Projects are selected based on recommendations from county, municipal, and town officials. WisDOT reimburses a percentage of the eligible project costs, with the remainder funded by the local government.
The 2023-25 biennial state budget provides an additional $4 million for LRIP, with a four percent increase each year of the biennium, and $100 million for LRIP-Supplemental.
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Disbursement for this cycle: | |
View the list of LRIP Discretionary and Supplemental projects here. | |
$200M in Federal Funding Allocated to Critical Projects Across the State | |
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In addition to the $174 million in state LRIP funding, the Evers Administration announced more than $200 million in federal infrastructure law funding for 150-plus road and bridge improvement projects across Wisconsin last week.
WisDOT’s Surface Transportation Program allocates federal funds to improve federal-aid-eligible roadways in rural or urban areas. The Local Bridge Improvement Assistance Program distributes federal and state funds to help local governments rehabilitate and replace deficient federal-aid-eligible local structures on local highway systems.
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Funding allocation by program for federal fiscal years 2025-2029: | |
$50M ARIP Funding Awarded for Road Projects to Support Wisconsin’s Agricultural Industry | |
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In July, 37 projects in 28 counties were awarded $50M in the first round of ARIP funding. These projects will benefit various agricultural industries, including forestry, dairy, animal, grain/feed, manure/fertilizer, ethanol, potato and other vegetables, cranberry, and other producers. These industries support about 2,300 Wisconsin agriculture jobs.
The 2023-25 budget established the $150 million Agricultural Roads Improvement Program (ARIP) to fund projects to improve rural roads, bridges, and culverts, negatively impacting Wisconsin farmers, producers, and the state’s agricultural industry. First-round ARIP applications were submitted earlier this year and greatly exceeded available funding, reflecting the statewide need for improved rural roads.
$100 million is available in the second round of ARIP funding, with application materials released July 31. Applicants can roll over their unselected first-round applications to the second-round solicitation. WisDOT anticipates announcing the round two ARIP project awards in late December or early January.
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Senate Advances FY 25 Appropriations Bill, Congress Adjourns | |
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On July 25, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved, by a 28 to 1 vote, a bill funding the Department of Transportation for fiscal year 2025. The measure would provide more than $110 billion in total funding, of which $81.6 billion is from obligation limitations for trust fund programs and $28.5 billion is for discretionary funding.
The Senate bill is consistent with the FY 2025 authorized amounts in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and provides 13 percent higher discretionary funding than the FY 2025 House transportation bill passed by the appropriations committee earlier in July.
The Senate bill increases USDOT's gross discretionary resources over the House bill by $3.3 billion. Below are the major allocations:
- $1.507 billion to mass transit Capital Investment Grants, bringing the bill’s total to $2.26 billion.
- $513 million to Amtrak, almost all of it to the National Network.
- $550 million to restore RAISE grants to last year's level.
- An additional $230 million for Transit Infrastructure Grants.
- An additional $259 million for Airport Improvement Grants.
- $128 million more than the House for MARAD Port Infrastructure Grants.
- Restoring last year’s level of $100 million in additional appropriations for the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail.
- An extra $77 million for CRISI rail grants (some of it earmarked).
- $61 million more than the House bill for state maritime academy operations.
- $51 million extra for FAA Facilities and Equipment.
However, the Senate bill provides $372 million less in general fund support for highway contract authority programs than the House bill.
In addition, the Senate bill provides a legislative fix for the August Redistribution issue starting in the summer of 2025 by assigning a four-year obligation limitation to all allocated HTF programs. This change applies to slow-spending programs, such as the TIFIA loan program and the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) discretionary grant program.
The House and Senate have adjourned for the August Recess. Neither chamber will return to the nation’s capital until Monday, Sept. 9.
As has become the norm, the twelve annual spending bills are far from enactment as Congress headed home. The House has passed five (voting one down), but the Senate has yet to take any to the floor.
When Congress returns to DC, it will only have three weeks to wrap the 12 FY25 appropriations bills before the end of the fiscal year. Expect a continuing resolution through late November or early December.
Resources
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House, Senate Pass WRDA 2024 | |
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On July 22, the House approved the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA) by a vote of 359 to 13. About a week later, the Senate unanimously passed S. 4367, the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024.
WRDA is biennial legislation authorizing U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) projects to improve the nation’s ports and harbors, inland waterway navigation, flood and storm protection, and other aspects of water resources infrastructure.
The Senate Environmental Public Works Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will begin the conference process to resolve the differences between the two bills.
WRDA Resources
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Traffic Fatalities Down in '23; Up Over the Past Decade | |
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While a new report indicates that US traffic fatalities fell in 2023 for the second straight year, traffic fatalities remained significantly higher than a decade ago.
The report from TRIP, “Addressing America’s Traffic Safety Crisis: Examining the Causes of Increasing U.S. Traffic Fatalities and Identifying Solutions to Improve Traffic Safety," examines trends in traffic fatalities from 2013 to 2023 at the national and state levels.
A dramatic rise in the number and rate of traffic fatalities occurred in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic and changes in driver behavior, followed by a fall in 2022 and 2023. However, in the ten years from 2013 to 2023, traffic fatalities were up 25 percent. Also noteworthy is bicyclist and pedestrian fatalities increased 18 percent from 2018 to 2023, with crashes in highway work zones rising 16 percent from 2018 to 2022.
In Wisconsin, traffic fatalities increased eight percent from 2013 to 2023. The state numbers peaked in 2021 (620), followed by a six percent decrease from 2021 to 2023 (584 fatalities in 2023).
TRIP calculates that serious traffic crashes in Wisconsin during 2023 caused $33.2 billion in societal harm, which includes $8.2 billion in economic costs and $25 billion in quality-of-life costs.
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TDA Executive Director Debby Jackson attended the Madison and Wisconsin Dell WisDOT I-39/90/94 public involvement meetings to represent the Central Wisconsin Interstate Alliance. Traffic was steady, and project support appeared to be widespread. View the presentation and exhibits here. | |
Jackson was happy to join Michelle Thompson of the Wisconsin Counties Association and others for a Midwest State Association Staff Retreat communications panel where we tried to answer the hundred-million-dollar question: with the fragmentation of the media, what's the best way to get your message across? | |
On a recent work-related trip to La Crosse, Jackson took the new Amtrak Borealis service, picking up the train in Columbus. Both ways, the train was lively with passengers. | |
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Jackson enjoyed participating in the first stop on the Avenues of Possibilities Tour in Waukesha. It was an excellent opportunity to reconnect with members and other partners and talk to people about their community.
Next stops: Wausau on Aug. 21 and Eau Claire on Aug. 22.
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Look Who's Hanging Out with Sec. Buttigieg | |
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Yes, you are right! It's Tom Bressner, executive director of the Wisconsin Agri-Business Association, TDA past president, and current board member. Tom had breakfast with USDOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg during his recent trip to Milwaukee.
Late last month, Secretary Buttigieg traveled across Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to visit three Great Lakes ports. He met with agriculture producers, port leaders, and port workers.
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Port of Green Bay Recognized for Tonnage Shipped in 2023 | |
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Last week, the U.S. Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation announced that the Port of Green Bay was one of two ports to receive the Robert J. Lewis Pacesetter Award for the 2023 navigation season. This annual award recognizes ports for activities that increase international tonnage shipped through the St. Lawrence Seaway.
Dean Haen, director of the Port of Green Bay (pictured far right), accepted the award. Adam Tindall-Schlicht, administrator of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, is on the far left.
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Thank You 2024 Organizational Sponsors | |
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TDA Annual Meeting: Oct. 16, at the Marriott Madison West
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TDA Fly-in: Spring 2025; date TDB after the election
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2024 Governor's Conference on Highway Safety
The 49th annual edition of this safety conference will be held Aug. 19-21 in the Wisconsin Dells. WisDOT's partners in traffic safety from across the state will come together and provide opportunities for attendees to learn more about current evidence-based best practices to guide the state to ZERO and impact on traffic safety in Wisconsin.
Details are available here.
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Registration Open for the Fall Wisconsin Aviation Conference
The Wisconsin Airport Management Association and the host airport, Dane County Regional Airport, will hold the 68th annual Wisconsin Aviation Conference (WAC) on Oct. 2-4 at the Madison Marriott West in Middleton.
Looking to attend? Details and registration information are available here.
More information is available to those looking to exhibit at or sponsor the event.
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Wisconsin Commercial Ports Association Annual Meeting: Save the Date!
Mark your calendar to attend the WCPA Annual Meeting Oct. 24-25 in Prairie du Chien. Details will follow!
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Save the Date for the WisDOT Annual Freight Railroad Conference
The WisDOT Annual Freight Railroad Conference is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 12.
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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. | |
Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin10 East Doty Street, Suite 201 | Madison, WI 53703
(608) 256-7044 | general@tdawisconsin.org
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