Lawmakers approve DOT plan for $280M in federal highway funding

The Legislature’s funds committee has authorised the majority of a plan by the state Division of Transportation to spend greater than $280 million in further federal freeway help.

The funding is roughly 35 % greater than Wisconsin anticipated to obtain from the federal authorities when the Legislature handed the present state funds final yr.

A part of the funding got here from the bipartisan federal infrastructure invoice signed by President Joe Biden in November whereas the remaining got here from a federal funding invoice handed in March. The bipartisan infrastructure plan totaled roughly $1 trillion.

The Wisconsin DOT’s plan for the cash would spend about $124 million on state freeway rehabilitation, $83 million on native transportation services and $61 million on native bridge enhancements.

The DOT’s plan additionally requires spending about $10 million on a program that funds the development and planning of on-road and off-road bicycle, pedestrian and different non-motorized automobile services, in addition to viewing areas like overlooks and turnouts.

The one level of battle on the funding was over the DOT’s plan to spend $4 million on a “Congestion Mitigation and Air High quality Enchancment Program,” which funds initiatives like enhancements to site visitors sign timing to enhance site visitors circulation or the development of bicycle services for commuters. Beneath a modification authored by Republicans, that funding may solely be used on initiatives that scale back congestion or enhance site visitors circulation inside a freeway right-of-way, which means they may not be used for bicycle services.

GOP lawmakers, together with state Rep. Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam, the co-chair of the Legislature’s funds committee, all voted in favor of the modified plan.

“I believe that total the plan is — for the reason that cash’s right here — is an efficient funding in our infrastructure,” Born mentioned.

Sen. Duey Stroebel, R-Cedarburg additionally supported the plan whilst he criticized the federal funds.

“They’re printing a number of it they usually’re sending it out and we’re getting a few of it,” Stroebel mentioned. “And it comes with a complete bunch of strings, as most federal cash all the time does.”

Stroebel issued an announcement after the assembly suggesting that due to the increase in federal funding, state lawmakers ought to object to any efforts to boost transportation revenues in Wisconsin.

Rep. Evan Goyke, D-Milwaukee, praised Gov. Tony Evers’ administration for arising with a plan for the funds, which the state may have misplaced if the initiatives weren’t authorised shortly. He additionally criticized Republicans for modifying the air high quality funding.

“What’s partisan is nickel and diming applications by limiting their scope since you suppose you already know higher,” Goyke mentioned.

The funds committee authorised the funding on a 14-1 vote with solely Goyke voting in opposition to.