Meetings held in all 72 counties regarding road and bridge repair

Crawford County officials, residents intend to 

pressure governor, legislature for more funding

By Ted Pennekamp

During a unique event, there were meetings held in all 72 counties Thursday night to discuss Wisconsin’s transportation infrastructure. It was the first time in the history of the state that such meetings were held to discuss the economic and safety issues of Wisconsin’s roadways and bridges.

Highway Commissioner Dennis Pelock led the meeting in Crawford County, which was attended by 22 citizens, most of whom were village, town, city or county officials. The meeting was named the “Just Fix It, Turnout for Transportation” meeting and was held in conjunction with the Wisconsin Counties Association, the Wisconsin Towns Association, the Wisconsin County Highway Association, and the League of Wisconsin Municipalities.

After a brief video presentation and also reading the highlights of several handouts, including the proposed state budget, attendees discussed the problem of repairing and maintaining all of the roads and bridges within the county, and where the money will come from to do it.

“We need to get the governor to budget for transportation better, rather than borrowing,” said Pelock, who noted that Governor Scott Walker’s proposed budget will cut $447 million from the State Highway Program for 2017-2019. In addition, Pelock pointed out that the proposed budget has no fee or fuel tax increases in order to raise more funds for roadways and bridges.

Crawford County and the other counties in the state, along with the towns and villages simply don’t have enough money to pay for the needed repairs to deteriorating roadways and deficient bridges. Pelock said there are 18 deficient bridges in the county and, at the current rate of funding, it will take a long time to repair them all. 

“We’ve been working on our bridges for the past eight years,” said Pelock. “At the rate we’re going, it’ll be 50 years before we’re done.”

Complicating matters is the recent flash flooding of the Kickapoo River and area streams that caused millions of dollars of damage to roads and bridge approaches in the county. Assessment of the damage and the cost is underway and the total cost estimates are not yet known. It is hoped that FEMA funding will be available to pay for the flood damage.

Not only are bad roads and bridges a safety concern, they adversely affect the economy of the county as well, said many in attendance. Farmers, loggers and other businesses that need to haul their product, for example, can’t cross certain bridges within the county because of weight restrictions and have to find longer alternate routes. Plus, businesses may not want to come to Crawford County if the roads and bridges are deficient. 

“The towns, the cities, the counties don’t have the long-term funding they need,” said Pelock in noting that insufficient funding leads to a band aid approach. “It’s like putting lipstick on a pig.”

Prairie du Chien Mayor Dave Hemmer and several other attendees pointed out that the eastern part of the state has great roads and always seems to get the needed funding.

“It’s like we don’t count over here,” said Hemmer.

Prairie du Chien Alderman and former Crawford County Board Chairman Ron Leys and others suggested that the state should increase vehicle registration fees and fuel taxes in order to raise transportation revenue. Leys said that he drives an electric car and that electric cars will be the wave of the future. Unfortunately, there is no fuel tax for electric cars. Leys said he is willing to pay his fair share and that there should be some kind of fee or tax for electric vehicles. Leys also noted that Iowa, Minnesota and other surrounding states have much higher vehicle registration fees than Wisconsin’s $75 fee.

Former County Board Chairman Pete Flesch, a member of the Crawford County Economic Development Committee, said that vehicles continue to become more fuel efficient, and thus, money raised via the fuel tax continues to drop even though there are more vehicles on the road.

“Good highways are what businesses look for, it’s critical to our economy,” said Flesch.

Flesch read a note from State Senator Jennifer Shilling stating that Shilling thanks everybody for attending the meeting and that she supports finding ways to resolve Wisconsin’s transportation problems.

Following the discussion, it was decided that a letter to the governor and the legislators will be drafted and signed by all who were at the requesting possible increases in registration fees, the fuel tax, the sales tax and having a wheel tax. The letter will also request an increase in funding to the State Highway Program and other transportation programs rather than decreases. All town boards are expected to adopt resolutions and send letters. Pelock also urged all who attended the meeting to send their own letters to the governor and to area legislators, and to help get the word out so that all citizens can send letters as well.

“We need to put pressure on the legislature,” said Pelock. “Numbers of letters count.”