March 5, 2025
12+ WTBA consultant firms win ACEC awards
By Lane Kimble
Batting .300 for your career all but guarantees you a spot in Cooperstown. WTBA member consulting firms far exceeded that benchmark, “batting” at least .750 on the American Council of Engineering Companies of Wisconsin’s (ACEC)…
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March 3, 2025
Annual Convention features packed general sessions, plenty of fun
By Lane Kimble
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- A retired Navy admiral and Top Gun graduate, two legendary Packers Super Bowl champions, experts on AI, insurance, and even a self-described “economist with a sense of humor.” Quite the impressive slate…
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March 3, 2025
Fulkerson retires from FHWA
By Lane Kimble
Wisconsin’s longtime Federal Highway Administration point-person has retired after four decades on the job. Glenn Fulkerson tells WTBA he officially retired Feb. 28. Fulkerson started serving as FHWA’s Division Administrator for Wisconsin in 2019. He…
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February 27, 2025
Zignego takes reins as new WTBA Board president, focused on fixing funding shortfall
By Lane Kimble
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- WTBA’s new Board of Directors president is clearly motivated, driven, and focused. To Dan Zignego, this year is all about working together to fix a more than $1 billion shortfall in Wisconsin’s…
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February 26, 2025
Scholarship Auction surpasses 2024 total for new record-setting night
By Lane Kimble
The final item–a gorgeous 14-karat white gold necklace–went for a lot of money. $11,000, to be exact. Still, it looked like it wouldn’t quite be enough to push the 2025 WTBA/TEF Scholarship Auction beyond last…
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February 20, 2025
Governor provides strong backing for transportation funding as JFC dives into state budget work
By Lane Kimble
MADISON, Wis. -- Much like building a road, bridge, or freeway, the first of many significant steps in building the state budget–and providing billions in funding for the transportation system–began this week. Introducing his 2025-27…
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February 18, 2025
ARTBA report: WI among leaders in federal-aid expansion, new construction projects in FY24
By Lane Kimble
Wisconsin was one of the top eight states in the U.S. this past fiscal year for road projects either in development or underway that use federal money to expand capacity. Meanwhile, bridge repairs and replacements…
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February 14, 2025
Tech Savvy: WCPA Annual Conference draws crowd ‘hungry’ for industry knowledge
By Lane Kimble
APPLETON, Wis. -- Wisconsin’s winters seem to enjoy toying with the concrete pavement industry. Even in a second straight year of below-average snowfall, a storm covering most of the state blew in just in time…
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February 13, 2025
Work Zone Safe WI gets Congressional shoutout from Rep. Wied
By Lane Kimble
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A new work zone safety initiative WTBA spearheaded in Wisconsin last year received some national attention this week. Newly elected Congressman Tony Wied (R-Wisconsin) highlighted the Work Zone Safe Wisconsin (WZSW) program…
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February 12, 2025
NEA wins national award for Green Lake Co. asphalt project
By Lane Kimble
Crews who worked on an asphalt paving job in central Wisconsin have a little something extra to celebrate this week. The National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) awarded Northeast Asphalt (A Walbec Company) with one of…
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February 7, 2025
READY TO RAISE: WTBA/TEF Scholarship Auction bidding goes LIVE Monday at 10 a.m.
By Lane Kimble
You can find a lot of different things on Amazon these days. But we’re willing to bet you couldn’t stock your “cart” with a helicopter wild boar hunt, tickets to see Def Leppard, an excavator…
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February 6, 2025
State awards $100 million for second round of agriculture road improvement funding
By Lane Kimble
MADISON, Wis. -- A big reason the agriculture industry can pump more than $115 billion into Wisconsin’s economy every year is because farmers and food producers can get their products to market. Rural roads that…
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February 5, 2025
WTBA welcomes 3 new Contractor members
By Lane Kimble
WTBA Contractor membership surpassed the century mark this week with the addition of several new companies. The Board of Directors unanimously approved applications Tuesday from Malcom Drilling Company, Tenex Contractor Corp., and Wandel Contractors, Inc.…
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February 4, 2025
Jan. Work Zone Safe Wisconsin scholarship winner hopes to become nurse
By Lane Kimble
A young woman who hopes to save and improve lives after high school is already doing that behind the wheel. Macy Myers successfully completed the Work Zone Safe Wisconsin (WZSW) online course in January and…
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February 3, 2025
Majors Program cost estimates lower as TPC awaits word of I-39/90/94 expansion in 25-27 budget
By Lane Kimble
Smart planning and construction cost savings helped save Wisconsin taxpayers money over the past six months. WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman’s twice-yearly report to the Transportation Projects Commission (TPC), released last Friday, notes those factors reduced…
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January 31, 2025
WTBA’s Grove wins Secretary’s Golden Shovel award for ‘above and beyond’ work with DBEs
By Lane Kimble
WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. -- Moments before announcing the next WisDOT Golden Shovel award winner in a Wisconsin Dells ballroom, Tondra Davis caught herself. “You don’t want to show preference, so I won’t,” Davis told the…
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January 30, 2025
Duffy confirmed as Transportation Secretary on bipartisan Senate vote
By Lane Kimble
The Senate confirmed former Wisconsin Congressman Sean Duffy as the next Transportation Secretary on Tuesday. A bipartisan coalition voted 77-22 in favor of Duffy’s nomination. Both Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin)…
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Trump administration’s federal funding freeze thawed… for now
By Lane Kimble
A second straight week of confusion and concerns over President Donald Trump’s executive order freezing federal grant spending appears to have finally settled down. Wednesday, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) rescinded…
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January 29, 2025
Lunda’s Road America bridge project provides hands-on learning for area high schoolers
By Lane Kimble
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. -- It’s normally a 30-second task: Lift the concrete bucket with a crane and swing it to the other side of the job site without hitting anything. Well, that task took six…
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January 24, 2025
Evers sets stage for busy 2025 session with focus on prioritizing children
By Lane Kimble
MADISON, Wis. -- Declaring 2025 the “Year of the Kid” in Wisconsin, Gov. Tony Evers laid out his vision for the state’s future Wednesday night. The governor only used the word “roads” once early on…
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January 23, 2025
Senate committee approves Duffy as Transportation Secretary on 28-0 vote
By Lane Kimble
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Former Wisconsin Congressman Sean Duffy easily cruised through a Senate committee vote this week, securing unanimous bipartisan approval to serve as the next Transportation Secretary. The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee…
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January 22, 2025
Trump executive order causes concern, confusion over federal transportation funding
By Lane Kimble
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Billions of dollars in money committed for infrastructure projects is flowing again after a brief but nerve-racking pause this week. One of President Donald Trump’s many executive orders signed Tuesday–his first full…
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January 20, 2025
‘A phenomenal opportunity’: Record-setting crowd packs Kalahari for C-E Conference
By Lane Kimble
WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. -- A record-setting crowd of more than 750 attendees packed day one of the WTBA/WisDOT Contractor-Engineer Conference on Thursday. The sheer number of people had WTBA President Brian Endres pondering future venues.…
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January 19, 2025
FHWA rolls back manufactured products waiver under Build America Buy America
By Lane Kimble
One of the Biden Administration’s final acts could end up costing the transportation construction industry $8.5 billion over the next decade. Tuesday, the Federal Highway Administration published an updated Build America Buy America policy change…
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January 18, 2025
WTBA members win big with annual WisDOT Excellence in Construction awards
By Lane Kimble
Winning six out of seven statewide construction awards (and, in reality, sweeping all seven when you consider project engineer involvement, too) is no small feat. WTBA member companies proudly accomplished that Thursday at the Contractor-Engineer…
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January 17, 2025
Four college students receive $18,000 total in WTBA of Tomorrow scholarships
By Lane Kimble
College students across Wisconsin will return to campus for second semester in about a week. Some of the most impressive ones working toward careers in transportation construction will bring some well earned financial aid with…
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January 14, 2025
Monthly Work Zone Safe Wisconsin winner hopes to become computer code writer
By Lane Kimble
Devin Maconaghy will probably spend a lot of time in front of a computer in the future. The Reedsburg Area High School junior wants to graduate early and learn coding. But it’s the 45-minute online…
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January 10, 2025
Smart Work Zone training session coming March 13 in Waukesha
By Lane Kimble
“Smart” things dominate our daily lives, from phones and watches to TVs and even cars. Perhaps smart work zones will become commonplace and save more lives in the years to come. WisDOT’s Bureau of Traffic…
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January 10, 2025
Blood drive set for Tuesday to honor WTBA member killed in Pewaukee crash
By Lane Kimble
A blood drive next week will honor a WTBA member killed in a crash last year. Donations given at the Versiti Blood Center in Waukesha and other Versiti clinics (see details below) on Tuesday, Jan.…
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January 9, 2025
WisDOT issues RFQ for I-90/94 Design Build bridge project
By Lane Kimble
Contractors hoping to win the next big Design-Build project in Wisconsin will want to get organized immediately. WisDOT issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) this week for the I-90/94 interchange bridge work near Tomah. The…
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January 9, 2025
Feds award $25 million for National Avenue reconstruction in Milwaukee
By Lane Kimble
MILWAUKEE -- A more than two-mile stretch of busy and historically dangerous roadway in Milwaukee will get major infrastructure upgrades thanks to a $25 million federal grant. WisDOT plans to use the grant to rebuild…
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January 7, 2025
Trio of reclaimed quarries demonstrate vast potential for future land use
By Lane Kimble
Surrounded by rows and rows of green, Ron Zillmer stood in his own little version of Eden. “It was a match made in heaven for us,” Zillmer said. About 15,000 starter trees currently grow in…
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January 6, 2025
Mega Rentals changes name to Forward Traffic & Marking following acquisition
By Lane Kimble
Contractors may notice a new sub-contractor name as they prepare heavy highway bids this year, but they can count on the same great service and work ethic. Mega Rentals, Inc. is now Forward Traffic &…
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January 3, 2025
Jan. 1 marks start of 3-cent EV tax for Transportation Fund
By Lane Kimble
The newest contributor to growing the state’s transportation fund kicked into gear this week. The 3-cent per kilowatt hour tax on public electric vehicle chargers, which began Jan. 1, likely won’t generate much money in…
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January 2, 2025
Dems name committee members, rounding out 2025-26 Legislative assignments
By Lane Kimble
Democrat leaders in the state Senate and Assembly announced their committee appointments late Thursday, concluding the process just ahead of Inauguration Day on Monday. Rep. Kalan Haywood (D-Milwaukee) returns to the Assembly Committee on Transportation.…
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December 27, 2024
Evers appoints Hyun as new DNR secretary
By Lane Kimble
After more than a year without a secretary, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has named his pick to fill the top spot of the state Department of Natural Resources. Evers announced Dr. Karen Hyun as his…
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December 20, 2024
VanderMeer returning as Transportation Committee chair
By Lane Kimble
State Rep. Nancy VanderMeer will once again lead the Assembly Committee on Transportation. Speaker Robin Vos announced his committee selections Wednesday for the upcoming legislative session. Alongside Chairwoman VanderMeer, State Rep. John Spiros (R-Marshfield) will…
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December 20, 2024
WisDOT lands Record of Decision ahead of I-39/90/94 budget considerations
By Lane Kimble
You can check off another box on the list of requirements needed to start construction on the I-39/90/94 freeway expansion. This week WisDOT announced it filed a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and received a…
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December 19, 2024
FHWA awards state $300,000 to expand Highway Construction Skills Training
By Lane Kimble
Major projects such as the I-41 Fox Valley expansion and the Blatnik Bridge replacement will require a strong workforce for many years to come. Wisconsin just got a boost to support that. The Federal Highway…
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December 13, 2024
Ice PAC: Hearty hunters brave chilly conditions to support WTBA legislative efforts
By Lane Kimble
JOHNSON CREEK, Wis. -- If a few pheasants escaped the aim Thursday of hunters at Milford Hills, temperatures in the single digits and a wind chill below zero were an easy scapegoat. Or maybe it…
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December 12, 2024
‘Stakes are higher than ever’: New statewide report exposes unsustainable transportation funding
By Lane Kimble
Everyone in Wisconsin–from lawmakers in the state Capitol to families in places such as Kenosha, Wausau, and Superior–faces a difficult decision in the very near future: find a way to sustainably pay for our roads,…
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December 11, 2024
Vos reappoints Rep. Born as JFC co-chair
By Lane Kimble
There will be many new faces in the state Legislature this coming session, but the leaders of the budget-writing Joint Finance Committee (JFC) will remain familiar ones. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos named Rep. Mark Born…
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December 10, 2024
TPC unanimously approves 67-mile expansion of I-39/90/94 between Madison and Wisconsin Dells
By Lane Kimble
MADISON, Wis. -- A critical but aging corridor that Wisconsin families, commuters, truckers, and vacationers all depend on is a step closer to getting billions of dollars in upgrades. Monday, the Transportation Projects Commission (TPC)…
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December 9, 2024
OSHA finalizes PPE rule, goes into effect Jan. 13
By Lane Kimble
Construction companies across the country will soon be required to provide all employees with properly fitting personal protective equipment (PPE). OSHA published its finalized PPE in Construction Rule this week. The rule simply clarifies PPE…
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December 6, 2024
WAPA Annual Conference tackles heavy topics, celebrates industry successes
By Lane Kimble
WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. -- The keynote speaker at the Wisconsin Asphalt Pavement Association’s (WAPA) Annual Conference walked on stage Tuesday to a round of applause. He then promptly told the crowd he is not a…
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December 6, 2024
WisDOT to make ARIP quantities, info publicly available by Spring 2025
By Lane Kimble
MADISON, Wis. -- A new website detailing where and how the state’s Agricultural Roads Improvement Program (ARIP) is being utilized should launch in the next few months. WisDOT division leadership told the WTBA Board of…
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December 6, 2024
WTBA warmly welcomes four new members
By Lane Kimble
WTBA began its new fiscal year on a high note, adding to its strong membership base. The Board of Directors unanimously approved four new applications Thursday at its bimonthly meeting in Madison. The additions include…
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December 6, 2024
WTBA announces four scholarship winners totaling $18,000
By Lane Kimble
An impressive crop of students surpassing last year’s number of applications made the WTBA of Tomorrow’s decision making especially challenging. The council ultimately decided to surpass its prize offering from last year, too, awarding four…
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December 6, 2024
GALLERY: Plenty of cheer to go around at WTBA Holiday Party
By Lane Kimble
If you want to know what truly makes the WTBA great, look no farther than a ballroom on Madison’s east side Thursday night. Laughter, hugs, back-slaps, and cheers echoed throughout the evening at WTBA’s annual…
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November 27, 2024
WTBA, APW negotiate deal removing quarry metal sampling requirement
By Lane Kimble
Quarry operators no longer need to submit metals sampling under a recent settlement WTBA and the Aggregate Producers of Wisconsin (APW) negotiated with the Wisconsin DNR. Instead, a specific set of agreed-upon quarries will submit…
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