| MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), today announced counties and municipalities across the state received more than $180 million in the third quarterly payments for 2026 General Transportation, Connecting Highway, and Expressway Policing Aids to repair, maintain, and improve local roads and connecting highways. The funding was provided by the 2025-27 Biennial Budget signed into law by Gov. Evers last year, which resulted in the largest amount of funding for the General Transportation Aids (GTA) program in the state’s history.
“Whether going on vacation, going to work or school, or visiting the grocery store or doctor’s office, local roads are the first and last mile of every trip, and they play a huge role in the safety of our communities and our overall quality of life,” said Gov. Evers. “I’ve been proud to secure historic investments over the years so that our cities, counties, towns, and villages can make essential improvements to our roads as we continue our work to build the 21st-century infrastructure Wisconsin needs to support our growing 21st-century workforce and economy and that our people deserve.” The governor this week wrapped up his annual “Pothole Patrol” tour, where he traveled across the state to help fix potholes on local roads himself while highlighting his administration’s ongoing efforts to bolster Wisconsin’s 21st-century transportation infrastructure throughout the state. Since Day One, Gov. Evers has been committed to fixing the darn roads, and this was the governor’s seventh statewide “Pothole Patrol” tour since taking office in 2019. Under Gov. Evers’ leadership, the state has improved more than 9,600 miles of roads and 2,400 bridges statewide. In fact, Wisconsinites could drive from Wausau to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and back three times with miles to spare on the miles of roads fixed. The bipartisan 2025-27 Biennial Budget, signed by Gov. Evers last year, built upon the Evers Administration’s efforts to invest in the state’s transportation infrastructure with $1.1 billion in new funding for key transportation investments, including increasing the state’s GTA program by three percent in each year of the biennium. For calendar year 2026, local governments will receive more than $570 million in GTA financial assistance to support transportation-related projects. All told, municipalities will receive $33.2 million more over Fiscal Years 2025-27, and counties will receive nearly $10 million more over Fiscal Years 2025-27. Total funding for all local programs makes up almost one-third of the state transportation budget. “The first and last mile of each trip we take is on a local road,” said WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman. “We’re proud of the work we’re doing with municipal leaders and local communities across the state to improve our local roads and ensure students, families, workers, and products can get from point A to point B safely and efficiently.” The third quarter payments, delivered on July 6, totaled $186,178,743.49 and included:
General Transportation Aids help cover the costs of constructing, maintaining, and operating roads and streets under local jurisdiction. Connecting Highway Aids reimburse municipalities for maintenance and traffic control of certain state highways within municipalities. Expressway Policing Aids help the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office with the costs of patrolling expressways within the county. Quarterly payments for cities, villages, and towns are sent the first Monday in January, April, July, and October. County payments are made in three installments, with 25 percent of the total annual payment on the first Monday in January; 50 percent on the first Monday in July; and 25 percent on the first Monday in October. A complete list of the third quarter aid payments is available on WisDOT’s website. PREVIOUS EFFORTS BY THE EVERS ADMINISTRATION TO SUPPORT WISCONSIN’S 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. As mentioned, since 2019, the Evers Administration has improved or repaired over 9,600 miles of road and over 2,400 bridges statewide. The bipartisan 2025-27 Biennial Budget, signed by Gov. Evers last July, built upon the Evers Administration’s efforts to invest in the state’s transportation infrastructure with $1.1 billion in new funding for key transportation investments, including increasing the state’s General Transportation Aids (GTA) program by three percent in each year of the biennium. Additionally, the 2025-27 state budget provided historic funding for the Local Roads Improvement Program (LRIP), including an over $100 million supplemental investment and continued support for the highly successful Agricultural Roads Improvement Program (ARIP) with another $150 million investment. Of this $150 million investment, $30 million will be targeted to improve and repair deteriorating culverts and small structures through the Local Small Structures Improvement Program. In addition to securing $100 million in supplemental funding for LRIP, a $150 million investment in the successful ARIP program, and a three percent increase to the state’s GTA program each year of the biennium, the final 2025-27 Biennial Budget signed by Gov. Evers included:
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. |
| An online version of this release is available here. |
Gov. Evers, WisDOT Announce Over $180 Million to Improve Local Roads Statewide
Jul 8, 2026 | 12:18 PM
On Air Now
Wed Jul 8
Appleton, WI, USA
85°FFeels Like: 90°F
Wind/Dir: 21 MPH-SSW
Humidity: 66%
Comments