Debby Jackson: Waterloo and Their Crossroads: A Community Confronts Its Aging Highways

The column below reflects the views of the author, and these opinions are neither endorsed nor supported by WisOpinion.com.

On Monday morning in Waterloo, I joined a resolute group of local leaders, business owners, and residents to tour aging sections of State Highways 89 and 19, vital arteries linking this city of 3,600 to Madison, Milwaukee, and beyond. These roads, critical to Waterloo’s economy and daily life, are deteriorating—cracked pavement and potholes tell a story of wear from time, weather, and heavy use. The tour, part of the Re-VITAL-ize Wisconsin Community Highways campaign, underscored the urgent need for infrastructure investment and sustainable funding to keep this community and communities across Wisconsin connected and thriving.

Mayor Jenifer Quimby led the group with conviction, her voice rising above the hum of passing traffic. “Roads are the backbone of our community,” she said. “Here in Waterloo, we rely on two major state roads – Highways 89 and 19; they are the lifelines of our economy and daily lives. These highways strengthen connections to neighboring communities and regional commerce. But the lack of sustainable funding has impacted our community negatively.” 

Her words captured Waterloo’s challenge: hope for scheduled highway upgrades tempered by the reality of local budget constraints that delay other essential road projects.

The group attending the event included State Representative Joan Fitzgerald (D-Fort Atkinson), a representative from the office of State Senator Melissa Ratclif (D-Cottage Grove), and Janae Nell, a Community Development Authority member and former realtor. Standing at the junction of Highways 89 and 19, where uneven pavement and potholes mar the surface, Nell shared a personal perspective. “When folks come through Waterloo, looking to move here, the top items are location and curb appeal, and then they see the roads, and they say OH NO, OH NO,” she recounted. “I’ve lost many home sales due to the bumpy roads. Plus, I’m visually impaired, so trying to walk and avoid potholes is a safety issue.” Her words hit hard, a reminder that poor roads don’t just inconvenience—they exclude.

Waterloo’s story mirrors the broader statewide struggle. The portions of the city’s state-owned highways, critical for residents and local businesses, are slated for reconstruction within the next decade. This is a win, allowing Waterloo to address the 75-year-old water and sewer infrastructure beneath the pavement, improving water pressure, reducing the potential for system failures, and enhancing stormwater management. Yet, the local share of these projects—covering parking pavement, lighting, signage, and sidewalks and excluding subsurface infrastructure—carries a steep cost. One project alone equals Waterloo’s annual road budget; another could consume multiple years. To balance these demands, the city requested WisDOT delay the Highway 89 project from 2031 to 2033—a pragmatic but difficult choice that risks further delays due to funding uncertainties.

Toni Herkert, government affairs director for the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, provided critical context. “The recently passed state transportation budget included a significant increase to the State Highway Rehabilitation Program and an inflationary increase for local general transportation aids,” she noted. “While this is a positive step and builds upon three recent budgets that keep projects moving for the next two years, we fear that without a long-term fix to funding transportation, the state will be unable to maintain its transportation priorities and projects will be delayed.” Her words emphasized the fragility of progress in the absence of a sustainable financial model.

The tour wasn’t about pointing out potholes—it was about building momentum for change. The Re-VITAL-ize campaign, an effort spearheaded by the League of Wisconsin Municipalities and the Transportation Development Association, aims to lift local voices across the state. More tours are planned, and you can follow the movement on the Re-VITAL-ize Wisconsin Community Highways Facebook page.

Waterloo’s highways are more than pavement—they’re the threads weaving this community to its neighbors and its future. As Herkert put it, “We need to provide our communities, residents, and businesses the roads they need to succeed, and Waterloo’s road needs are no different than every other municipality in Wisconsin.” Standing on those weathered roads, I saw a city determined to chart its path forward. For Waterloo and countless other Wisconsin communities, a sustainable, long-term transportation funding plan is essential to eliminate the current trade-off, ensuring both state and local roadways are improved without sacrificing one for the other.

Jackson is the Executive Director of the Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin, a statewide alliance of 400+ businesses, labor unions, citizen groups, units of government, and individuals committed to advancing the best in transportation.