Madison – Representative Nancy VanderMeer (R-Tomah), Chairperson of the Assembly Committee on Transportation, commended the exceptional investments in local roads and bridges made by the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance on Tuesday.

“I’m incredibly pleased with my colleagues on the Joint Finance Committee and the investments they’ve made in local roads and bridges throughout the state. They made it a priority to invest in the rural roads and bridges that my neighbors and I travel on daily. Additionally, there’s a $150 million investment in a newly created Ag Road Improvement Program (ARIP) specifically targeted to recognize the importance of our state’s second largest industry and the most substantial economic driver in and around the 70th Assembly District,” VanderMeer stated.

Motion 104, adopted by the committee on Tuesday, includes:

·         $362.8 million to Local Roads & Bridges

·         $386.8 million for State Highway Improvement

·         $22,271,200 more for Rail & Harbor Assistance

·         $223,000 increase in funding in transportation assistance for seniors and individuals with disabilities

·         A 2% increase each fiscal year in General Transportation Aids (GTA) to Counties totaling $7,566,300

·         A 2% increase each fiscal year in General Transportation Aids to Local Municipalities totaling $23,863,100

·         A $100 million investment in the Local Road Improvement Program (LRIP) Discretionary Supplement

·         $4,016,800 in one time funding for the Local Road Improvement Program (general)

“Thank you to the large coalition of Agricultural Industry stakeholders, led by the Wisconsin Farm Bureau, that helped lead the charge to make the $150 million investment in the roads and bridges that were left behind by the federal government’s inflationary ‘Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal.’ Representative Travis Tranel of Cuba City and Senator Howard Marklein of Spring Green, and Representative Terry Katsma of Oostburg deserve a tremendous amount of praise, as well, for their leadership on these initiatives and helping to prioritize our rural communities,” VanderMeer continued.

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