Lane Kimble

DBE program’s future faces uncertainty following new USDOT filing in lawsuit

May 30, 2025 by Lane Kimble

The long-running Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program could soon look significantly different or end all together.

The US DOT filed a document in federal court Wednesday that, if agreed to, would terminate key requirements of the program, the American Road and Transportation Builders Association reported.

U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove would still need to approve the consent order for it to take effect.

The filing marks a strong pivot in the federal government’s stance on the DBE program under the Trump administration since two companies sued over its constitutionality prior to the election last fall.

Mid-America Milling Company and Bagshaw Trucking (represented by the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty) sued in September 2024 to block the federal government from using the DBE program to award contracts, claiming it violates the Constitution’s equal protection clause based on race.

Judge Van Tatenhove temporarily paused the DBE program in Kentucky and Indiana (where the two firms are based), but then expanded the order to all states where the firms do business. Wisconsin was not part of the temporary injunction.

“In practice, the door to government contracting will open not only for our clients, but also for other firms,” WILL Associate Counsel Cara Tolliver said at the time. “The DBE program’s days of sanctioning racial and gender discrimination are dwindling.”

Congress created the DBE program to support women- and minority-owned firms in the early 1980s. President Ronald Reagan signed it into law in 1983.

While the Biden administration pushed back against the 2024 lawsuit, President Trump and new USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy have shown a desire to cut down on federal regulations and burdens that can slow construction progress.

As we await Judge Van Tatenhove’s decision, ARTBA has urged FHWA to issue guidance addressing this week’s filing and any future rulings.

Tomb guard, world traveler, southern rock lover… there’s a lot to Tim Michels you likely didn’t know

May 22, 2025 by Lane Kimble

You almost certainly know his name, but how well do you really know Tim Michels?

The Michels Corporation owner and vice president has worked hard with his brothers to grow his parents’ business from $150 million to more than $4 billion today. Michels employs 8,000 people worldwide and works on a wide array of transportation and infrastructure projects.

And, of course, there’s that recent bid for governor.

Still, as Steve and Lane found out this week, there’s a whole lot more to Tim Michels and he’s happy to share it if you ask. Favorite band? Favorite book? Coolest job site he’s been on? It’s all in the fourth edition of “Road Trippin’ With WTBA” podcast.

Click HERE to listen to Episode 4: What Makes Tim Michels Tick?

Listen in on a fascinating conversation with Tim covering his childhood, early days in the family business, military service (including overseeing the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier) and much more.

As you pack the car for the holiday weekend, take us along! You can find the latest episode on Apple, Spotify, Amazon or anywhere you get your podcasts by searching “WTBA.”

Sustainable transportation funding will take ‘tough decisions’ from state lawmakers, Baas tells WisPolitics forum

May 21, 2025 by Lane Kimble

How do you fix a looming $1 billion transportation budget shortfall?

Raise the gas tax? Charge fees based on how many miles you drive? Build tolls? Tap further into the general fund?

WTBA Executive Director Steve Baas could be happy with any of those.

“Our favorite kind of new revenue is the ones that can get passed. We’re a little bit agnostic,” Baas said during Tuesday’s WisPolitics luncheon discussion on transportation funding.

“This is going to take tough decisions and the Legislature is capable of making tough long term decisions. They’ve done it over and over again. They don’t necessarily like it and sometimes they do it only when all the other alternatives are gone, but they’re capable of doing that.

Baas joined State Sen. Cory Tomczyk, State Rep. Kalan Haywood, and Wisconsin Policy Forum President Jason Stein on the luncheon panel at the Madison Club.

“Transportation is the base of everything,” Sen. Tomczyk acknowledged. “We have no tourism if we don’t have good transportation. We have no manufacturing if we don’t have good transportation. We have no agriculture if we don’t have good transportation. People want to be able to just get around and go.”

Moderator Jeff Mayers guided the conversation through questions on the Policy Forum’s December report that demonstrated how ending gas tax indexing in 2006 grew the transportation fund deficit.

That decision, which Stein covered at the time as a reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel before joining the Wisconsin Policy Forum, cost the state more than $3 billion in potential revenue over the years.

“It had a very big effect,” Stein said.

WATCH: Spectrum News 1 follows up on the conversation with Baas, Stein

Topics also revolved around the current budget surplus, major and mega projects, priorities in urban versus rural parts of the state, new USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy and more.

Baas said state lawmakers should consider all options on the table when it comes to providing sustainable revenue, but the most realistic and immediate path forward is likely tied to gas.

“The transportation fund was designed for that. It was designed, also, coming up on a century ago,” Baas said. “Everybody wants to talk about running government like a business. Tell me how long your business would survive if you froze your primary source of revenue while every single cost input in your business was going up? That’s what Wisconsin has done the last 20 years.”

More than 840,000 expected on Wisconsin roads for Memorial Day weekend; use 511 to “know before you go”

May 21, 2025 by Lane Kimble

The summer travel season is off and running in Wisconsin.

The state and AAA expect nearly one million people to travel for the Memorial Day Holiday. Peak travel times began Thursday between 1-9 p.m. WisDOT anticipates Friday between noon-8 p.m. and Monday from 4-7 p.m. to also feature heavy traffic.

Construction work will pause for the holiday weekend, however there are plenty of orange barrels and detours to consider with hundreds of projects underway.

Two lanes of I-41 are open in both directions between Appleton and Green Bay, but lane shifts and speed reductions remain in place. I-41 north of Wauwatosa is down to just two lanes in both directions. Three lanes will be open in both directions on I-39/90/94 at the Wisconsin River Bridge, however watch out for lane shifts and slower speeds.

WisDOT encourages you to check on 511wi.gov for the latest closures, delays, and road conditions before you hit the road.

You can find more highway- and region-specific warnings HERE.

Travel safely and remember what this holiday is all about: honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.