(The Center Square) – Wisconsin municipalities received $138 million in highway and roadway aid in the fourth quarter of 2024 and received more than $536 million in aid in the 2024 calendar year, the Wisconsin governor’s office and Department of Transportation reported.
The funding includes general transportation aid, aid to connect highways and expressway policing aid.
The general transportation aid totals were set to increase 2% in 2024 and 2025.
The fourth quarter payments included $134 million in general transportation aid along with nearly $4.3 million in connecting highway aid to 116 municipalities and nearly $256,000 to Milwaukee County for expressway policing.
The transportation aid goes toward the cost of constructing, maintaining and operating locally controlled roads.
“The work we’re doing in partnership with local governments to improve local infrastructure is crucial to making our economy work and helping to build a transportation network that serves everyone,” said WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman. “The first and last mile traveled by our residents, businesses, and industry are essential to robust and resilient transportation infrastructure.”
The state also will be sending a $1.5 million grant to DeForest to assist in road construction for a new Kwik Trip distribution Center.
The project is planned to expand Metro Drive, North Towne Road and Pepsi Way on the west side of DeForest to help accommodate additional truck traffic to the facility, which is expected to employ 398 people in the region.
“The TEA grant program is a crucial financial investment tool for the village of DeForest to attract great businesses like Kwik Trip,” said DeForest Village Administrator Bill Chang. “The grant award will facilitate the construction of critical roadway infrastructure, ensuring that increased truck traffic is safely accommodated.”