Rep. Donovan’s Tinkering Cuts I-894 & I-41 Sound Barrier Funding in Half

(MADISON)—Today, Senator Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee) issued the following statement in response to the 2025-2027 budget enactment and the claims by Rep. Donovan to have “secured” funding for the sound barriers on I-894 and I-41. Senator Carpenter along with Representative Kirsch, requested funding for this project in the Governor’s 2025-2026 budget proposal which delivered $19.5 million for the project. Governor Evers heard the plea of these constituents and responded accordingly. After last minute tampering by Rep. Donovan, the budget only included $9.1 million, leaving inadequate funding for the addition of increased sound barriers. Senator Carpenter responded:

“We have heard time and time again from constituents in the Greenfield area that there must be something done about the disruptive noise along I-894. People are losing sleep at night, being disturbed during the day, and are exposed to public safety threats from flying debris from highway traffic. Because of these concerns I worked diligently throughout the budget process to lock down funding for the construction of these sound barriers for those most affected by the noise.”

“I want to thank Governor Evers for including funds in his budget proposal at an incredible $19.5 million. This was enough to make a real difference for the residents of Greenfield and broader Milwaukee County. However, at the very last-minute, Representative Donovan requested that the Republican controlled Joint Finance Committee change the funding and project scope, leading to less than half of the Governor’s allocation for this project.”

“Representative Donovan did not “secure” funding for this project, he slashed it in half.”

“Considering the untimely manner in which this unfolded and the inability to propose any changes to the budget allocation, I was glad to see that there was at least the line-item veto by Governor Evers that I had requested allowing for more flexibility in the usage of this funding when it comes to the location of these sound barriers.”

“Our Greenfield neighbors deserve better. I look forward to continuing to advocate for them here in the State Capitol and working alongside the Department of Transportation to bring more restful nights and peaceful days to those living along I-894.”

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.