Lane Kimble

MADISON, Wis. — The drone of bagpipes playing “Amazing Grace” echoed off the buildings around Madison’s Capitol square Thursday afternoon.

Behind the players, about 100 people slowly walked in a solemn procession toward St. Patrick’s Church a few blocks away.  The group was made up of construction workers from various trades, honoring the lives lost in the industry during the past year.

It marked the 10th annual Construction Workers’ Memorial service, presented by the Construction Business Group and the Wisconsin Building Trades Council.

“We’re all brothers and sisters in construction,” said president business manager Operating Engineers Local 139 President Terry McGowan told WISC-TV.

“Many of the families of these fallen construction workers will be present, and we think that’s important because we want the families to know that their loved ones aren’t forgotten,” said McGowan.

Two construction workers and eight people in cars died in work zone crashes in Wisconsin in 2024.

Thursday’s crowd included family members of work zone crashes and other construction-related victims.  A handful of WTBA member companies and organizations joined the march and following church service.

WTBA extends its deepest sympathies to family and friends of the victims and salutes organizers’ overall goal: to one day not have to hold a memorial walk because everyone made it home safely.

A star-studded cast including Wisconsin’s governor, legislative and industry leaders, and even an NFL Hall of Famer inspired construction workers in Madison this week.

The Construction Business Group held its annual meeting Wednesday and Thursday at the Madison Club.

Gov. Tony Evers welcomed the crowd by touting his administration’s historic levels of investments in the transportation sector.  The governor pledged to restore collective bargaining rights for union workers and prevailing wage, and vowed to repeal Wisconsin’s right-to-work law.

“My goal is to keep our workers safe and our economy strong,” Evers said.

A bipartisan panel including Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, Senate President Mary Felzkowski, Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein, and Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer disagreed on certain policy positions, but found common ground on the topic of transportation as it pertains to the state budget.

Vos (R-Burlington) noted it’s “dumb” that the cost of fixing roads largely falls on Wisconsin drivers through the gas tax and vehicle registration fees when so many out of state tourists, especially from Illinois, use our highways essentially free of charge.

The show-stealer, though, was former Badgers and Cleveland Browns star tackle Joe Thomas.  The 10-time NFL Pro Bowler encouraged the group to be self reliant and focus on their individual roles for the betterment of the state.

“Barry Alvarez used to come into the training room every day (when I was at UW) and say, ‘Hey, Thomas!  How are you doing?”  And before I could answer, he’d always say, ‘Nobody cares.  Do your job,” Thomas recalled.

Thomas set an NFL record by playing 10,363 consecutive snaps.

Sometimes the quality of your teacher can make or break your understanding and interest in a subject.

When your teachers are the likes of Bob Lang, Eric Petersen, Elise Nelson and Steve Baas and the subject is transportation funding and industry advocacy, you’re probably going to ace the test.

The WTBA of Tomorrow Council went “back to school” Thursday for the group’s kickoff meeting of its 2025 season.

The Council is preparing for a “Day at the Capitol” in a few weeks where members will get to meet one-on-one with lawmakers and their staff members.

WTBA of Tomorrow members are rising stars in WTBA member companies who are interested in learning more about the state budget and the association’s role in seeking reliable, long-term funding from the state of Wisconsin.

Lang–who is legendary in the Capitol for analyzing and guiding hundreds of legislators throughout the complicated budget process over his 50 years running the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau–offered a fascinating dive into the history of the budget process, the Joint Finance Committee, the powers of the governor’s line item veto, and what this budget’s implications are for transportation.

Petersen is WTBA’s long-time contract lobbyist.  He dished out his always entertaining and unvarnished view of this budget cycle and the makeup of the current legislature, then took questions from Tomorrow Council members who clearly enjoyed his candor.

Nelson and Baas highlighted what WTBA likes in the governor’s 2025-27 budget proposal, covered the association’s priorities, and urged attendees to speak from the heart and share their personal stories when they go into lawmakers’ offices later this month.

Some of the WTBA Board of Directors will also join WTBA of Tomorrow members during the Capitol visits.

In addition to Capitol advocacy, the WTBA of Tomorrow Council also judges annual WTBA Scholarship entries, coordinates and hosts construction site tours, and solicits dozens of donations for the Scholarship Auction.