The League of Wisconsin Municipalities urges our congressional delegation to support the bipartisan efforts to provide much-needed investments in our nation’s infrastructure.
“We can no longer band-aid together the fixes to our roads, bridges, transit, water and wastewater systems. This infrastructure is vital to our quality of life and critical to our economic development efforts,” League President Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels stated.
The annual American Society of Civil Engineers Wisconsin 2020 Infrastructure Report Card gave Wisconsin a C overall, but drinking water and wastewater rated only a C- and roads and transit received a D+. That’s unacceptable.
As stated by the American Society of Civil Engineers in their analysis, “(p)ositive economic growth hinges on the availability and capacity of underlying systems that must support it, namely our infrastructure. Clean water (surface and drinking water), roads, bridges, transit systems, airports, water and sewer systems, dams, ports, and energy systems are categories of infrastructure that directly affect our ability to live, work, play and produce economic expansion and development. Infrastructure provides the foundation of our state’s economy and is integral to preserving our high quality of life.
Much of Wisconsin’s infrastructure requires capacity or maintenance upgrades or is reaching the end of its expected lifespan. You will see this reflected in Wisconsin’s grades. The energy grid, transportation systems, sewers and drinking water systems of decades ago need upgrading to better prepare for security threats, larger storm events, increased use of renewable fuels and a changing population.”
