Hi, this is State Senator Bewley with this week’s Democratic Radio Address.
Just a few years ago, Wisconsin was getting a bad reputation as the “pothole state.” Things are changing. Since Governor Evers took office, we have improved more than 4,600 miles of roads and nearly 1,500 bridges. Both of his biennial budgets made historic investments in rebuilding Wisconsin’s aging infrastructure, with more than $465 million in new transportation project funding in the 2019-2021 budget, and $100 million in funding in the 2021-2023 budget.
Last month, the Governor announced that the first round of local road funding included in recently passed federal legislation will provide $35 million to support 40 projects throughout the state. Governor Evers’ support for our infrastructure doesn’t stop there. He’s committed to investing nearly $300 million dollars into expanding access to high- quality, high-speed internet across our state.
For far too long, my Republican colleagues refused to make the investments necessary to keep our transportation infrastructure in good repair. Bridges and roads across the state were crumbling, but the Republicans under former Governor Walker underfunded infrastructure and left our roads in worse and worse shape. But now, thanks to Governor Evers, we’re reversing course, filling potholes, and connecting broadband. Democrats know that when we invest in infrastructure, we can build a state where people want to live, work, and raise a family.
