Gov. Evers, Dept. of Transportation: Announce nearly $50 million for rural road improvements to support Wisconsin’s farmers, producers, and agricultural industries

Part of $150 million investment secured by Gov. Evers in 2025-27 Biennial Budget  for successful Agricultural Roads Improvement Program, grants to support 29 projects across rural Wisconsin

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), today announced nearly $50 million in grants were awarded through the first round of Agricultural Roads Improvement Program (ARIP) funding that was a result of bipartisan budget negotiations and approved by the governor in the 2025-27 Biennial Budget. This round of grant funding will support 29 new projects across 28 Wisconsin counties focused on improving local rural roads used by farmers and producers to transport agricultural and forestry products that support Wisconsin’s more than $116 billion agricultural industry statewide.

Under Gov. Evers’ leadership, the state has improved more than 9,600 miles of roads and 2,400 bridges statewide since 2019, and he has been a steadfast advocate for Wisconsin’s farmers and producers, including ensuring they have the 21st-century infrastructure needed to get their products to market. Gov. Evers created the Agricultural Roads Improvement Program in 2023 by signing 2023 Wisconsin Act 13 and approving the 2023-25 Biennial Budget that provided $150 million to support the program. The most recent 2025-27 Biennial Budget signed by Gov. Evers continued support for this highly successful program with another $150 million investment, of which $30 million will be targeted to improve and repair deteriorating culverts and small structures through the recently announced Local Small Structures Improvement Program.

Since its creation, the program has funded 120 projects across the state that are helping improve and repair rural roads in 56 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties. All told, more than 23.5 million tons of agricultural products, valued at $13 billion, are transported on ARIP-awarded roads each year.

“Wisconsin agriculture is the cornerstone of our economy and a core part of our culture and heritage, so ensuring our farmers and producers who rely on these rural roads can safely and efficiently get their products to market is essential to the success of our state,” said Gov. Evers. “I’m incredibly proud of the continued success of our Agricultural Roads Improvement Program, which is making a real difference in rural communities across our state, improving the safety and quality of life of all those who live, work, and produce there. We worked hard to secure these additional funds so we can continue this good work all across Wisconsin, and I’m thrilled to be getting the next round of grants out the door so we can ensure Wisconsin agriculture remains on top.”

“Continued investment in local infrastructure across Wisconsin through programs like ARIP improves our economy and quality of life,” said WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman. “We continue to have a strong pool of applicants, and these selected projects will help Wisconsin’s agricultural industries continue to grow. A safe and strong transportation network depends on quality local roads, the first and last mile of nearly everyone’s trip. We are proud to continue this progress together.”

Housed under the Local Roads Improvement Program at WisDOT, ARIP is a reimbursement program that may pay up to a maximum of 90 percent of total eligible project costs, with the balance of the eligible costs funded by the local unit of government. To be eligible for funding, projects must meet the following criteria:

• The project highway, or the highway where the bridge or culvert is located, is functionally classified by the department as a local road or minor collector. 
• The project is solely for the improvement of a bridge or culvert, the bridge or culvert is 20 feet or less in length, and is not eligible for funding under a federal program that provides funding for bridge improvements. 
• The highway, bridge, or culvert provides access to agricultural lands or facilities used to produce agricultural goods, including forest products, and is used by at least one agricultural producer. 
• The highway or highways on which the bridge or culvert is located is designated as a class “B” highway due to structural deficiencies or is subject to a posted weight limitation at least one month during the previous year. 
• After the improvement, the highway will not be designated as a class “B” highway and will not be subject to a posted weight limitation other than under extraordinary or emergency circumstances. 
• The highway, bridge, or culvert is maintained by a political subdivision.

When the next ARIP application period opens, WisDOT will notify municipalities regarding the availability of application materials, the schedule of informational meetings, and other important dates and deadlines. WisDOT staff will also contact applicants who were not awarded in this current round to allow for the opportunity to easily advance their application for consideration in the next solicitation. 

A full list of projects receiving ARIP grants is available at WisDOT’s website. Projects awarded in the next round are anticipated to be announced in Fall 2026.

More information about ARIP is available on WisDOT’s website.

ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS IN THE 2025-27 BIENNIAL BUDGET TO IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUPPORT WISCONSIN FARMERS AND AGRICULTURE

After years of neglect under the previous administration, Gov. Evers has made fixing Wisconsin’s roads and bridges and making sure the state’s infrastructure can meet the needs of a 21st-century workforce and economy a top priority. Since 2019, under his administration, the state has improved more than 9,600 miles of roads and 2,400 bridges statewide. In each of his biennial budgets, Gov. Evers has secured historic investments in Wisconsin’s transportation infrastructure, and improving Wisconsin’s roads and bridges continued to be a priority for the governor in this budget.

In addition to securing $150 million in funding for ARIP, the final 2025-27 Biennial Budget signed by Gov. Evers provided over $1 billion in new funding for key transportation investments. This includes:

• Increasing General Transportation Aids (GTA) by three percent in both 2026 and 2027, which will provide municipalities with $33.2 million more over the biennium and counties with nearly $10 million over the biennium; 
• A historic increase of nearly $333 million over the biennium in the state highway rehabilitation program;   
• $100 million for the Local Roads Improvement Program—Supplemental program component;   
• $244.5 million to keep key projects, such as I-41 and I-39/90, on schedule;   
• A 10 percent increase to paratransit aids, increasing funding by $687,600 over the biennium;   
• Improving safety on Milwaukee County expressways with $38 million in expressway policing aids; and 
• $50 million for the harbor assistance program, including $15 million for the Menominee Harbor Project and $20 million for the Port of Green Bay.

The 2025-27 Biennial Budget also improves ongoing transportation fund revenues by generating nearly $200 million in additional revenue to improve the sustainability of the transportation fund.

In addition to robust investments in transportation infrastructure statewide, the final 2025-27 Biennial Budget invests in local communities to ensure that they are able to address the unique needs of their constituents and bolster local infrastructure, including:

• $50 million to fund building projects in local communities, providing grants to local governments and nonstate entities for local construction projects which serve a public, statewide purpose, such as clinics, arts centers and museums, public libraries, and more; and
• $14 million for local communities across the state through municipal service payments to ensure local communities have the resources they need to meet basic and unique needs alike.  

Additionally, Gov. Evers, over the past seven years, has secured critical investments for farmers, producers, and their families, including supporting the state’s meat and dairy producers, investing in farmer mental health resources, and bolstering Wisconsin’s exports worldwide. Gov. Evers recognizes that Wisconsin’s more than $116 billion agricultural industry is as critical to the state economy as it is to Wisconsin’s heritage and culture, and ensuring its continued growth and success for generations to come will be critical to ensuring Wisconsin’s continued growth and success.

Building upon efforts of the Evers Administration to date to support Wisconsin’s agricultural industry and proud heritage as “America’s Dairyland,” the 2025-27 Biennial Budget provides:   

• Ongoing funding for the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports (WIAE) program to continue to support farmers and producers wanting to expand into new markets and increase output, and help Wisconsin navigate international markets for agriculture, forestry, and food products;   
• $20 million to create a new state program designed to support dairy and agriculture resilience;    
• $10 million to continue the Food Security Initiative, a program created by Gov. Evers that connects local nonprofit food assistance programs, such as food pantries, with local producers to keep shelves stocked;    
• $3 million to continue the Tribal Elder Food Security program that helps Tribal elders access nutritious, culturally relevant food while supporting Wisconsin producers;   
• $800,000 to increase the available funding for the successful Dairy Processor Grant Program;   
• $1 million to bolster and support the Meat Processor Grant Program;   
• Over $2.4 million over the biennium for the Meat Inspection Program to ensure meat products are produced safely and match nutrition labels;   
• $200,000 to support farmers and their families’ mental health;   
• $500,000 to increase funding for the Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grant Program, which helps enable producers and producer-led groups to implement nonpoint source pollution abatement strategies to improve Wisconsin’s soil and water quality;    
• $2 million to continue the commercial Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program, which aims to protect vital soil and water resources; and   
• An additional $1.6 million to support the cover crop insurance program, which helps assist farmers with rebates of $5 per acre of a cover crop planted for crop insurance premiums paid on those acres.

An online version of this release is available here.