The state of Wisconsin announced this week that it will send out payments totaling more than $99 million in transportation funds to local governments.
The payments are part of an annual $521 million in financial assistance handed out quarterly from the General Transportation Aids (GTA), Connecting Highway Aids, and Expressway Policing Aids from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT). Amounting to 10 percent more than was allocated in the last biennial budget, the funds can be used by Wisconsin’s 1,850 villages, towns, and cities on transportation-related projects.
“The importance of a sound transportation system is especially evident as we face the challenge of the COVID-19 public emergency,” WisDOT Secretary-designee Craig Thompson said. “The local system is the essential first and last miles, making sure that vital goods like food and medical supplies are getting to where they’re needed.”
The bulk of the money – $95,875,797 – will come from GTAs, which covers the construction, maintenance, and operation of roads and streets under local jurisdictions. Another $3,015,875 will come from Connecting Highway Aids to reimburse municipalities for maintenance and traffic control of state highways within municipalities. The remaining $255,975 comes from Milwaukee County for Expressway Policing Aids.
Amounts vary wildly from just $1,714.77 given to the village of Mason, to $127,116.36 to the town of Minocqua, to more than $7 million to Milwaukee.