Gov. Evers, WisDOT Announce Support for 49 Projects to Improve Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities, Trail Projects, and Support Safer Routes to School Across the State
Over $32 million is being awarded to communities across the state through the Transportation Alternatives Program
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), today announced over $32 million in federal funding for 49 local transportation improvement projects in communities across the state to help local governments build or expand safe, nonmotorized transportation options such as bicycle and pedestrian facilities, trail projects, and Safe Routes to School Program projects.
“These sorts of projects make a real difference in the quality of people’s lives, in the growth of our communities, and provide much-needed improvements to ensure our kids can walk and bike to school safely, workers can get to work on time, and Wisconsinites and visitors alike can enjoy new ways of getting around our communities all across the state,” said Gov. Evers. “A strong 21st-century transportation system works best when the needs of all users are accounted for, and that’s exactly what this program will help us do.”
Many of the TAP projects are working to expand already-existing bike and pedestrian paths to better connect communities and school zones, offering Wisconsinites increased accessibility to sustainable transportation methods. Administered by WisDOT, TAP funding is distributed according to four geographic population categories.
TAP Rural projects serve Wisconsin communities with census-designated populations of less than 5,000. A total of $11,402,553.90 in federal funds has been allocated to 11 total improvement projects in these areas, including:
- City of Prescott | $5.5 Million
- The city of Prescott in Pierce County will receive $5.5 million to support the addition of a trail and safe crossings for bicyclists and pedestrians along U.S. Highway 10 and state highways 29/35, to safely facilitate nonmotorized access to three local schools, athletic fields, residential neighborhoods, government services, parks, and businesses. There are currently no pedestrian or bicycle crossings in this area.
- Village of Belleville | $1.7 Million
- The village of Belleville in Dane County will receive $1.7 million to support the construction of a pedestrian and bicycle underpass beneath State Highway 69/92, along with shared-use path connections on both sides of the highway. This project will provide a safe, ADA-accessible crossing between residential neighborhoods on the north side and the school campus and community facilities on the south side. The improvements will enhance connectivity, reduce pedestrian-vehicle conflict, and support multimodal transportation in a rapidly growing area of the village.
- Town of Cloverland | $1.3 million
- The town of Cloverland in Vilas County will receive nearly $1.3 million to support the River Trail project. Phase 1 is comprised of two elements: a 1.9-mile multi-use off-road trail from Old Highway 70 Road to Wilderness Trail and bike route/wayfinding signing along Old Highway 70 Road to serve as the more immediate connection between the existing St. Germain Trail and the proposed River Trail Phase 1 multi-use off-road trail.
TAP Urban projects serve Wisconsin communities with census-designated populations of between 5,000 and 50,000 residents. A total of $4,164,299.95 in federal funds has been allocated to nine improvement projects in these areas, including:
- Ozaukee County | $870,000
- Ozaukee County will receive nearly $870,000 to support construction of a multi-use bicycle/pedestrian bridge over Cedar Creek adjacent to the current State Highway 60 vehicular bridge as part of the East-West Ozaukee Interurban Trail extension project.
- City of New Richmond | $1.1 Million
- The city of New Richmond in St. Croix County will receive nearly $1.1 million to support the County Trunk Highway K bike and pedestrian trail. The proposed project consists of the first phase of constructing an off-road trail facility along a section of County Trunk Highway K from Park Ave. to Prairie Rd., connecting the downtown commercial district to the eastern limits of New Richmond.
TAP Urban Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) projects serve Wisconsin communities with census-designated populations of between 50,000 and 200,000 residents. A total of $2,691,454.01 in federal funds has been allocated to five improvement projects in these areas, including:
- City of La Crosse | $805,000
- The city of La Crosse in La Crosse County will receive over $805,000 to support the King Street Greenway, an extension of the existing greenway from 8th to 22nd St., which gives multimodal access to many residents and businesses alike. The greenway’s final extension from 3rd to 7th Street will play into the much larger bicycle and pedestrian network in the city of La Crosse. The proposed design for the King Street Greenway has been through an extensive public engagement process and includes raised alley crossings, permanent and temporary bump-out treatments, bioretention bump-out planters, a pedestrian refuge island, and rain gardens.
- Eau Claire County | $713,000
- Eau Claire County is receiving more than $713,000 for the reconstruction of the Altoona Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge. The bridge was constructed in the early 1900s and has a very low rating. The bridge is located at a large and highly used local park, as well as on a multi-use trail system that regionally stretches from Cornell to Menomonie. The system serves numerous residential, commercial, recreational, and employment areas.
Transportation Management Areas (TMAs) are Wisconsin communities that contain more than 200,000 people. A total of $14,347,345 in federal funds has been allocated to a total of 24 improvement projects in these areas, including:
- City of Oconomowoc | $1.5 Million
- The city of Oconomowoc in Waukesha County is receiving nearly $1.5 million for the North East Corridor Multi-Use Trails and Connector Segments.
- Milwaukee County Parks | $1 Million
- Milwaukee County Parks is receiving over $1 million for two of the Oak Leaf Trail Bridges, I-43 and Port Washington Rd.
- City of Madison | $1 Million
- The city of Madison in Dane County is receiving over $1 million for the construction of the West Beltline Path Extension to Landmark Pl.
- City of Appleton | $750,000
- The city of Appleton in Outagamie County is receiving nearly $750,000 for the Southpoint Powerline Trail.
A complete list of the 49 projects for Federal Fiscal Year 2026-2030 is available on WisDOT’s TAP webpage.
“WisDOT strives to provide leadership in the development of a safe and efficient multimodal transportation system,” said WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman. “By investing in different modes of transportation like bicycle, pedestrian and school routes, we’re not only modernizing our transportation system, but we’re improving connectivity and mobility in the awarded communities.”
As a federally funded program, selected projects receive a maximum 80 percent federal cost share and a minimum 20 percent local sponsor cost share.
TAP projects in the rural and urban categories with populations under 200,000 are evaluated through a competitive process recommended for awards by a TAP Statewide Selection Committee. The committee includes representatives from the Wisconsin State Legislature, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Bike Fed, Wisconsin County Highway Association, and WisDOT. Eligible projects in large urban areas with populations over 200,000 are selected by TMAs representing those populations. More information about the TAP is available on the WisDOT website.
WisDOT anticipates releasing information on the 2028-2032 TAP Program Cycle in the summer of 2027.
ADDITIONAL EFFORTS BY THE EVERS ADMINISTRATION TO INVEST IN TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE
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.
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 state’s most recent budget.
The final 2025-27 Biennial Budget signed by Gov. Evers provides $1.1 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;
- Continuing support for the Agricultural Roads Improvement Program, created by Gov. Evers in the 2023-25 biennium, with a $150 million investment to continue repairing and improving Wisconsin’s rural roads to help farmers and producers and the state’s agricultural and forestry industries move products to market safely and efficiently;
- $30 million of the $150 million secured for ARIP will be specifically targeted to bridge and culvert repair to help improve and repair deteriorating bridges across the state.
- $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.
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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