Sean Duffy Tapped for US DOT Secretary

President-elect Trump will nominate former Wisconsin Congressman Sean Duffy as the next U.S. Secretary of Transportation. If confirmed, Duffy will oversee the 55,000-person DOT, with many agencies, including the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, and the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration.

A Wisconsin native from Hayward, Duffy served as the District Attorney for Ashland County from 2002 until 2010 before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He represented Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District until 2019.

In 2020, Duffy became a Fox News network contributor and co-hosted "The Bottom Line" on Fox Business from 2022 until last month.

Number of New State Legislators the Highest in More Than a Decade

Wisconsin voters took to the polls on Nov. 5 for the first elections since the new state legislative maps took effect.

The new maps resulted in a significant turnover in the state legislature, with 37 new members, the most since 2010. The Assembly will have 31 new members, 23 Democrats and 8 Republicans. The Senate will have six new Democrat members.

The GOP retained its majority in the Assembly, but with 10 Democrat pickups, the chamber's makeup next year will be 54 Republicans/45 Democrats. This margin is the GOP's narrowest since taking the majority in 2010.

Only half (16 of the 33) of Senate seats were on the ballot this year, helping the GOP to keep its majority (18-15), the narrowest since 2013. 

More than half of the legislature — 57 of the 99 Assembly and 20 of the 33 Senate members — has been elected in the past three cycles.

In addition to the new members, leadership changes are highlighted below. 

Assembly Leadership

Senate Leadership

With the number of new members, it is more important than ever that TDA educate policymakers about how Wisconsin funds transportation, the system's needs, and why it is so important we work together to ensure Wisconsin keeps moving forward.  

The Department of Administration (DOA) released its summary of agency budget requests and revenue estimates, including the current fiscal year and the following two. The state expects to end FY 2024-25 with a $4 billion surplus. In addition, the state's "rainy day fund" has a balance of $1.9 billion, the largest in Wisconsin's history.

If every agency request was approved, which the report notes is "highly unlikely," the state would have a $742.8 million deficit by the end of the 2025-27 biennium despite the current-year surplus and the modest anticipated revenue growth.  

How the governor and legislature propose to use the $4 billion surplus — investment in priorities, tax cuts, or both — will be a consequential topic in the next budget. 

The Evers Administration will now review the agency requests and craft the governor's budget proposal, which Gov. Evers will submit to the legislature in mid-February.

WisDOT Budget Submittal

Like many WisDOT budget submittals, the current request doesn't give an indication of what the governor's transportation budget might look like. The latest document includes the department's best estimate for federal revenue even without a final FY 2025 transportation appropriations bill. However, the department's budget request doesn't tackle the needs of its most significant programs, leaving that discussion to occur "in the larger context of state funding," also known as the governor's budget.

The Transportation Projects Commission (TPC) will meet on Monday, Dec. 9, the sixth annual meeting since Governor Evers restarted the TPC in 2019 after it had been dormant since 2014. 

The commission typically considers major highway project candidates on a two-year cycle. In the fall of odd-numbered years (2023), the TPC looks at projects to advance to the environmental study stage. In even number years (2024), the commission reviews and can recommend for enumeration projects that have completed the environmental review phase. 

Last year, the TPC voted to advance two major highway projects to the study stage — US 18/151 from Verona to Dodgeville and US 151 from Columbus to Waupun.

This year, the TPC will consider recommending two projects — I-39/90/94 – Madison to Wisconsin Dells, and US 51 North – Dane County — for enumeration in the 2025-27 state biennial budget. 

The TPC is a commission chaired by the governor that includes five state senators, five assembly representatives, and three citizen members who review, approve, and make recommendations regarding Major Highway Projects in Wisconsin. 

Government Funding Tops Congressional Year-End To-Do List

Congress returns to Washington this week, and lawmakers still have a long list of things to get done before Congress adjourns for the year.

Topping the list is government funding, which runs out on Dec. 20. Given the timeline and the work still to be done on the appropriations bills, a short-term extension into the spring of next year seems likely. 

In addition, Republicans may decide to tackle full-year appropriations bills and other more partisan items in the new year when they have a Republican trifecta, allowing them more say on funding levels and policy.

Other items on Congress's list include:

• The FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)
• Disaster aid
• The farm bill
• The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA)

Senate Democrats are also on the clock to confirm some of President Biden's judicial nominees during the lame-duck session. 

Congress adjourns on Dec. 20, and the new Congress begins with the swearing-in of representatives and senators on Jan. 3, 2025.

Ahead of Trump's return to the White House, USDOT is trying to maximize the number of discretionary grants out the door. Wisconsin recently learned of the following discretionary grant awards:

Safe Streets and Roads or All (SS4A) Program: In its third round of SS4A awards this year, USDOT announced $172 million in grants to 257 communities, including planning grants for the following communities:

• Greater Madison MPO and City of Madison: $1 million to support the development of local agency safety action plans and supplemental planning activities to achieve its goal of zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries by 2040. 
• Marinette County: $160,000 to create a comprehensive safety action plan to prevent roadway fatalities and serious injuries. The plan will identify and assess the county's transportation safety issues and provide defined action steps to guide the county toward future returns on safety investments.
• Rock County: $320,000 to develop a comprehensive safety action plan that follows the Safe System Approach. The county will supplement this plan with demonstration activities, including piloting high-friction surface treatment, wet reflective pavement markings, and chevrons on a to-be-determined number of curves within the county.

Low Carbon Transportation Materials Discretionary Grant Program: Wisconsin will receive almost $32 million to create a program that will promote transportation improvement projects incorporating materials that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

WisDOT's federal discretionary grant interactive map is available here.

On Nov. 5, voters across the U.S. approved 77 percent of 370 state and local ballot initiatives expected to generate $41.4 billion in new and renewed funding for roads, bridges, trails, and rails, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA).

ARTBA’s Transportation Investment Advocacy Center tracked transportation funding ballot measures in at least 25 states. Twenty-three states approved at least one statewide or local transportation question.

TIAC Senior Director of State Funding Policy Carolyn Kramer Simons stated, “The support for these ballot measures during one of the most consequential national election cycles in modern history proves that transportation investment continues to transcend partisan politics. Voters from all parties and geographic areas agree on the need to invest in roads, bridges, and transit infrastructure.”

December Project Spotlights

Village of DeForest receives $1.5M TEA grant to support new Kwik Trip distribution center

Kwik Trip is building its second Wisconsin distribution center in Dane County. When completed, the new 280,000-square-foot distribution center will service 350 Kwik Trip stores. It is necessary to ensure that transportation infrastructure is in place to safely accommodate increased truck and other vehicular traffic resulting from the center’s opening.  

What is the "fix," and how does it benefit the community and beyond? 

Expansion of Metro Drive, North Towne Road, and Pepsi Way on the village’s west side will provide better access to the new distribution center and improve area travel safety, reduce Kwik Trip’s distribution costs, and help the Kwik Trip La Crosse distribution center with the company’s growing production and delivery operations. This Dane County facility will support nearly 400 jobs in South Central Wisconsin and generate revenue expected to benefit other communities across Wisconsin and the statewide economy. Read more.

Help us tell your story!

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

TDA Events

TDA Fly-in: Spring 2025; date TBD

Thank You 2024 Organizational Sponsors

Jerry Derr, longtime TDA Board member and past president, passed away on Nov. 1. Jerry was the Town of Bristol chairman for almost 40 years. In addition to his commitment to his town, Jerry served as the president of the Wisconsin Towns Association and the Dane County Towns Association.

Jerry was a committed leader in our transportation community and will be greatly missed. TDA sends condolences to Jerry’s family and celebrates his decades of service.

A celebration of Jerry’s life will be held on Sunday, Dec. 8, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Bristol Town Hall, 7747 County Hwy N, Sun Prairie, WI 53590, to share stories and remember the lasting impact he had on everyone who knew him. 

The 2025 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., is quickly approaching, and an exceptional event is again on tap. The Wisconsin Reception at TRB is a much-anticipated opportunity for Wisconsin transportation professionals to network during an informal reception.

Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025

5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Yard House

812 7th Street NW

Washington, D.C. 20001

Please consider sponsoring this event and help bring together our state's transportation professionals by providing a $1,000 contribution. If interested, please contact TDA's Luke Pearson for more information and to arrange sponsorship payment. Submit your company logo to Carlyn Ross at UW-Madison.

This event is being hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin.



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.