Feds likely to throw an extra $530 million into state road work

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Oct. 10, 2000 Wisconsin road builders could see at least an additional $530 million in federal dollars flow into projects in 2001, according to details of a recently approved U.S. Department of Transportation appropriations bill. The federal government is expected to funnel $33.42 billion to states for highway programs next year — $4.62 billion, or 16 percent, greater than this year’s spending. “Right now, for our own estimating purposes, it is in the range of $525 million, conservatively, or $535 million, unconservatively,” said Beth Nachreiner, federal relations liaison for the state DOT’s office of policy and budget. The exact figure is not yet know, she said, as the Federal Highway Administration will determine each state’s amount based on what a state contributed to the highway trust fund. The final figure should be known within two to three weeks, Nachreiner said, but she said $530 million was what was included in the House version of the bill. Based on that figure, Wisconsin would receive $31.6 million or 6.3 percent more than the $498.4 million the state received for highway work this year. That money, said Mark Wolfgram, chief of highway program development and analysis for the state DOT, will be used to fund projects included in the state’s six-year highway construction plan. “We do have a six-year schedule of projects,” he said. “Most of those will probably use federal funds to some degree, but not necessarily.”

Nearly a “sure thing”

He said the WISDOT’s eight districts and the Legislature have a say in what projects are a priority and will be funded. However, he said most included in the state’s schedule are almost a sure thing. “We basically put together a plan on how we’re going to spend the money that’s pretty conservative,” he said. “We’re pretty well assured that if we can get the design plans we’ll get the money to do the project.” Some of the larger projects in that six-year schedule that will benefit from the federal appropriations bill are, by district:

• District 1, South Central Wisconsin:
  a $24.6 million construction project along 18.2 miles of Highway 151 in Lafayette County; a $12.6 million reconstruction project on the Highway 25 interchange in Jefferson County; and a $10 million construction projects on 6.1 miles of the Janesville bypass in Rock County.
• District 2, Southeastern Wisconsin:
  a $23.4 million resurfacing project on 3.81 miles of the Zoo freeway in Milwaukee County; a $22 million reconstruction project of the Park East freeway in Milwaukee County; and a $16.9 million resurfacing project of along 12 miles of Interstate 94 in Racine County.
• District 3, Eastern Wisconsin:
  a $20.2 million construction project along 3.86 miles of Highway 10 in Waupaca County; an $11.4 million construction project along 3.72 miles of Highway 141 in Oconto County; and an $8.7 million construction project along Highway 41 in Oconto County.
• District 4, Central Wisconsin:
  a $24 million construction project on Highway 10 in Portage County; a $19.2 million construction project on 4.68 miles of Marshfield Boulevard in Wood County; and a $3 million resurfacing project along 12.1 miles of Highway 82 in Adams County.
• District 5, Southwestern Wisconsin:
  a $12.9 million reconstruction project along almost 8 miles of Highway 60 in Crawford County; an $8.4 million pavement replacement project along 8 miles of Highway 90 in Monroe County; and an $8 million reconstruction project on Highway 14 in LaCrosse County.
• District 6, West Central Wisconsin:
  a $11.7 million project of the Chippewa Falls bypass in Chippewa County; a $10.7 million project along I-94 between Elk Mound and Chippewa Falls in Chippewa County; and a $4.4 million project along I-94 between Withee and Abbotsford in Clark County.
• District 7, Northwestern Wisconsin:
  a $4.5 million project along 2.72 miles of Highway 51 between highways S and B in Lincoln County; a $2.9 million reconstruction project from Hospital Street to Chain O’ Lakes in Vilas County; and a $2.8 million reconstruction project along 4.9 miles of Highway 47 in Vilas County.
• District 8, Northwestern Wisconsin:
  a $6.8 million reconditioning project along 4.66 miles of Highway 8 in Polk County; a $6.8 million reconstruction project along 5.25 miles on Highway 8 in Barron County; and a $5.9 million resurfacing project along 7.23 miles of Highway 2 in Douglas County.

Meanwhile, Nachreiner said the federal appropriations bill did earmark funds for several Wisconsin projects, the single largest appropriations being $36 million to begin actual construction of a bypass around Wausau. “That’s a big chunk,” she said. She added that the state also received $3 million to develop preliminary engineering and design plans for the project, which she said will ultimately cost at least $150 million. Other projects the bill provided for were:

• A $2.2 million runway reconstruction and taxiway upgrade for Chippewa Valley Airport, Eau Claire
• A $1.5 million runway and reconstruction extension for Rock County Airport, Janesville
• A $3.5 million apron expansion and taxiway construction for the Austin Straubel International Airport, Green Bay
• A $950,000 runway light upgrade and runway, taxiway and apron reconstruction for Tomahawk Airport

A $4.8 million project at Hayward Municipal Airport that includes upgrading its system to track flights # Nachreiner said the bill also approves funding for two studies: $4 million for a study and preliminary engineering and design work for a Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter rail extension and $1 million for the planning and design of a high-speed rail between Milwaukee and Madison.