Archives for April 2024

There’s a big difference between 5,000-gallon tanks and the 110-gallon variety.

A proposed rule change would formally clear that fact up when it comes to regulating large above ground storage tanks.

Monday, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) released a draft rule that requires the agency to regulate ASTs that are 5,000 gallons or larger, while also adopting fire and other safety standards.

Owners would need a certified inspector to install and inspect such tanks to license them.

DATCP’s current rule technically requires a certified inspector for tanks 110 gallons or larger, but the agency hasn’t enforced it since 2019.

The change would also bring the rule into sync with state statute, which already set the standard at 5,000 gallons.

DATCP will hold a public hearing on the matter Wednesday, May 8. It would need approval from the governor and legislature to go into effect.

Contact WTBA General Counsel Jodi Jensen with questions.

A woman with experience in the public and private sectors will run WisDOT’s Disadvantaged Business Program moving forward.

The Department announced Tiesha “Tie” Flemingas its new DBE Program Chief.  Fleming replaces Madalena Maestri, who left the DBE program after five years to join the Federal Highway Administration.

Fleming comes to WisDOT after two years serving as Financial Program Supervisor in the Department of Correction Bureau of Correctional Enterprise.

Having studied communications at UW-Milwaukee, Fleming previously worked in the Medical College of Wisconsin’s grant office, managed a finance team at ITT Technical College, and handled federally funded accounts with US Bank.

She has a three-year-old son and enjoys traveling.

Fleming will work out of the WisDOT Southeast Region offices in Waukesha, but will be in Madison on Thursdays. Her first day is Monday, April 22.

MADISON, Wis. — Change is hard.

The new utility compensable delay bill the WTBA helped usher into law this legislative season is no exception to that rule.

However, WisDOT says it’s committed to ensuring that change works as designed: quickly and fairly compensating contractors while, hopefully, reducing conflicts down the road.

“This is a complete 180 from where our staff have been administering these projects for – most of the folks that are out in the field – for their entire careers,” WisDOT Bureau of Project Development Deputy Director Brandon Lamers told the WTBA Board of Directors.

Lamers was one of eight WisDOT administrators who spoke Tuesday with the Board for nearly an hour during its bi-monthly meeting.

The Department inserted the compensable delay language into project specs beginning with January’s letting. Since then, WisDOT has been training staff on how to handle delays, especially those working in the field.

Later this month, WisDOT plans to post its PowerPoint training guide on the HCCI websiteso contractors and the public have a better understanding of the process, too.

“If there’s one thing that we do during this course of the year is that we over communicate, not only internally but also when we’re working with you folks on our projects,” Lamers said.  “This is going to be a change for all of us and we want to make sure that we’re communicating on both sides.”

Transportation System Development Administrator Rebecca Burkel noted WisDOT is working with engineers and utilities as much as possible in the study and design process to get relocations done properly.

“It costs less if we can do it early so we don’t have to deal with it during construction, so we are focusing a lot of effort on that,” Burkel said.

She added it’s crucial for contractors to document conflicts as best they can and as early as possible to ensure swift compensation. WTBA members with questions should contact Matt Grove.

Some of the work to repair dozens – if not hundreds – of rural roads across Wisconsin could begin later this year.  Key word being: some.

Applications for the first $50 million of new Agricultural Roads Improvement Program (ARIP) funding close later today.  As of Tuesday, the number of applications was in the 30s, but WisDOT expected that number to grow significantly as the deadline approaches.

WisDOT told the WTBA Board that while communities are applying for the funding now, they technically have nearly five years to seek reimbursement.

“I would expect most projects to be let sometime either – this is pure speculation – I would imagine most of them are going to be let in the ‘25-’26 timeframe,” Division of Transportation System Investment Admin. Justin Shell said.

As part of the latest state budget, ARIP provideda total of $150 million to repair roads and culverts that specifically service farms and food processors.  The state will pay up to 90% of the cost of each project, with local municipalities and counties covering the rest.

Once a committee selects the initial recipients, WisDOT will open applications for the remaining $100 million, likely this fall.

WisDOT intends to collect ARIP quantity data and make that available to contractors, Shell said, unlike with LRIP.  The Department also aims to consolidate information about where projects will happen and when they’ll be let into one easy to navigate spot.

That means deciding between using LRIP Web, Bid-X, a website WisDOT helps host, or some combination of those.

“This was a pretty big lift to get this up and going,” Deputy Secretary Kristina Boardman said.