Gov. Evers, WisDOT Announce Over 100 Communities to Receive Nearly $30 Million to Improve Rural Infrastructure, Support Wisconsin’s Agricultural Industries Statewide

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), today announced that 101 communities across the state will receive nearly $30 million in funding through the newly created Local Small Structures Improvement Program (LSSIP) to repair or replace aging culverts and small bridge structures on local roads across Wisconsin.

The funding was made available by the 2025-27 Biennial Budget signed into law by Gov. Evers last year, which provided $150 million for the highly successful Agricultural Roads Improvement Program (ARIP) created by Gov. Evers in 2023. Of that $150 million investment, $30 million was set aside to support projects focused on the repair or replacement of aging culverts and small bridge structures in rural communities that are critical for moving and transporting the state’s agricultural and forestry products safely, efficiently, and effectively. Since its creation and with the addition of these 101 projects, ARIP and LSSIP have funded 221 projects total across the state that are helping improve and repair rural roads in 64 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties.

“Every pothole filled, road fixed, and bridge and culvert repaired is essential to ensuring we have safe, reliable roads all across our state for locals and visitors alike, and so much of that good work is done at the local level, which is why supporting our local governments in their efforts to bolster this critical infrastructure is more important than ever,” said Gov. Evers. “Especially after years of disinvestment in our transportation infrastructure from the previous administration, these investments are making a difference for communities that otherwise would not have received any funding. Thanks to the investments we secured in our most recent biennial budget, this brand new program is making sure over 100 communities are getting money directly where folks need it to fix the darn roads and keep our local economies humming.”

Since Day One, Gov. Evers 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. In June 2023, Gov. Evers signed 2023 Wisconsin Act 13, expanding the Local Roads Improvement Program to include agricultural road improvement projects and providing $150 million to support these projects in the final 2023-25 Biennial Budget he signed into law just weeks later.

“The coordination between WisDOT staff and local governments was critical in identifying and inventorying the thousands of small structures throughout our state,” said WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman. “Judging by the number of applications received and funding requested, there is a lot of need for this program. We’re excited to see the LSSIP awards reach the structures that need them most and make real differences in the safety, mobility and quality of life for the people in these communities.”

The initial investment in the 2023-25 Biennial Budget included $12.5 million for WisDOT to assess local culverts and small bridge structures. WisDOT collaborated with the local owners to inventory and inspect the more than 16,500 small structures across the state, identifying those with the most urgent repair needs. Structures that were reported in poor or severe conditions by WisDOT were eligible for funding through the LSSIP, and local municipalities with structures rated in these conditions were encouraged to apply for funding to maintain safety and serviceability for residents, businesses, and visitors.

Projects were selected from a pool of 430 applications, totaling $133.7 million in funding requests, demonstrating significant interest in the program and need from local communities, as noted above. Projects receiving funding include:

NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN
The North Central Region is receiving nearly $5.5 million to support 20 local projects in communities such as the towns of Dexter, Polar, Pine Lake, Iola, and Larabee.

NORTHEAST WISCONSIN
The Northeast Region is receiving over $6.8 million to support 14 local projects in communities such as the village of Cascade, the towns of Forestville and Mishicot, and Outagamie County.

SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN
The Southeast Region is receiving over $869,000 to support three local projects in the towns of Waterford and Sharon and the city of Muskego.

NORTHWEST WISCONSIN
The Northwest Region is receiving over $7.5 million to support 39 local projects in communities such as the village of Stockholm and the town of Aurora, as well as Eau Claire, Douglas, Jackson, and Sawyer counties.

SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN
The Southwest Region is receiving over $9 million to support 25 local projects in communities such as the towns of Oregon, Adams, Farmington, and Viroqua, as well as Dodge, Grant, Green, Lafayette, and Monroe counties.

The full list of local small structure project awards is attached.

Learn more about the Local Small Structure Improvement Program on WisDOT’s website.

ADDITIONAL EVERS ADMINISTRATION EFFORTS TO IMPROVE TRANSPORTATION 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. Under Gov. Evers’ leadership, the state has improved more than 9,600 miles of roads and 2,400 bridges statewide since 2019. Wisconsinites could drive from Wausau, Wisconsin, to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and back three times with miles to spare on the miles of roads fixed.

Earlier this month, Gov. Evers wrapped up his final statewide “Pothole Patrol” tour. The governor’s annual tour included 10 stops across the state to fill potholes and highlight the Evers Administration’s efforts over the last seven years to repair and improve transportation infrastructure throughout Wisconsin. This year’s tour marks the governor’s seventh and final “Pothole Patrol” tour since taking office, including in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025.

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

• Increasing General Transportation Aids (GTA) by three percent in both 2026 and 2027, which will provide municipalities with $33.2 million more over Fiscal Years 2025-27 and counties nearly $10 million more over Fiscal Years 2025-27;
• 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 over $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. Additionally, Gov. Evers, over his tenure, 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 over $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 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;
• Under Gov. Evers’ leadership, according to the WIAE, Wisconsin is currently ranked 12th in the nation for agricultural exports by state, up from 13th in 2021. $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.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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