August 8, 2024

By Lane Kimble

RHINELANDER, Wis. — Nearly 100 bridges and dozens of rural and local roads in Wisconsin will get repairs thanks to another batch of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding.

Tuesday, Gov. Tony Evers and WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson announced the state is receiving more than $200 million, specifically for local road and bridge projects.

Wisconsin will distribute the money to communities through its Surface Transportation Program.

The governor and secretary stopped in near Eau Claire and Rhinelander to announce the funding this week.

“We’re replacing a bridge on Haymeadow Road and that’s a hundred percent funded by the state through a program that they have so the town doesn’t have to pay anything on that,” Pelican Town Chairman David Hollands told WJFW-TV. 

“If we could get more programs like that, that would be a big benefit to our township and to other townships in the area.”

Of the more than 150 approved projects, 26 fall under the STP-Rural category, which allows the state to use federal money on major collector roads outside of urban areas.

LRIP PROJECTS APPROVED

Meanwhile, the governor’s office this week also announced the approval of more than 1,000 Local Road Improvement Program (LRIP) projects across the state.  The 2023-25 state budget provided 4% annual increases for LRIP and $100 million in LRIP-Supplemental funds.

“We have a unique program in which projects are led and handled by local governments,” said WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson in a press release. “They drive these roads every day and are in the best position to know what needs to get fixed and how to get it done. We value our partnership with these communities and, together, we are building a transportation system for the next generation.”

Communities receiving project approval have up to five years to request compensation from the state for the work.

You can search and view applications and projects online by logging into LRIPWeb.