More than $132 million in transportation aid payments received by local governments
By Jalen Maki
Tomahawk Leader Co-Editor
WISCONSIN – Local governments around the state have received the first of the additional road funding provided by the state’s 2019-2021 budget. The quarterly payments for General Transportation Aids, Connecting Highway Aids and Expressway Policing Aids from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) totaled $132,198,446, Governor Tony Evers announced last week.
January general transportation payments to Wisconsin’s 1,922 local units of government include $126,426,597 in General Transportation Aids (GTA); $3,015,875 to 117 municipalities entitled to receive Connecting Highway Aids; and $255,975 to Milwaukee County for Expressway Policing Aids. January payments also includes $2.5 million in Supplemental Transportation Aid to 137 eligible towns, a technical fix to address a town funding formula issue, according to the DOT.
“We’re taking the first steps in providing municipalities with the additional resources they need to prioritize and complete badly needed improvements to local roadways,” Evers said.
Local governments will receive an estimated $521 million to offset transportation-related projects for the calendar year 2020, a ten percent increase over the last budget.
“The increase in these payments, combined with the pending $75 million in Multimodal Local Supplement grants, better positions locals,” stated Secretary-designee Craig Thompson. “With ninety percent of our highways under local jurisdiction, it’s imperative that we provide necessary support for these critical roads.”
Quarterly payments for cities, towns and villages are sent the first Monday in January, April, July and October. County payments are made in three installments, with 25 percent of the total annual payment on the first Monday in January; 50 percent on the first Monday in July; and 25 percent on the first Monday in October.
GTA help defray the costs of constructing, maintaining, and operating roads and streets under local jurisdiction, the DOT said. Connecting Highway Aids reimburse municipalities for maintenance and traffic control of local roads that connect segments of the state highway system.
Communities also receive state transportation fund revenues for public transit, elderly and disabled transportation, and airport and harbor development. Local communities may also receive state and federal funds for specific highway and bridge construction projects, the DOT stated.
Funds received by local counties, communities
Lincoln County received $315,644.59 in GTA, according to the DOT. The City of Tomahawk received $77,814.92 in GTA and $7,237.41 in Connecting Highway Aids (CHA); City of Merrill, $189,915.73 in GTA and $26,182.17 in CHA; Town of Birch, $15,128.15 in GTA and $10,678.70 in Supplemental Transportation Aids (STA); Town of Bradley, $51,679.62 in GTA; Town of Corning, $63,748.71 in GTA; Town of Harding, $22,226.31 in GTA; Town of Harrison, $38,303.10 in GTA; Town of King, $22,725.63 in GTA; Town of Merrill, $43,848.18 in GTA; Town of Pine River, $42,586.74 in GTA; Town of Rock Falls, $24,624.36 in GTA; Town of Russell $22,611.13 in GTA and $15,960.80 in STA; Town of Schley, $31,596.27 in GTA and $21,505.40 in STA; Town of Scott, $36,673.74 in GTA; Town of Skanawan, $15,616.89 in GTA; Town of Somo, $13,711.59 in GTA; Town of Tomahawk, $23,277.51 in GTA; Town of Wilson, $14,810.61 in GTA.
Oneida County received $255,897 in GTA; City of Rhinelander, $179,778.05 in GTA; Town of Cassian, $59,451.93 in GTA; Town of Little Rice, $30,281.13 in GTA; Town of Lynne, $50,827.09 and $32,300.09 in STA; Town of Nokomis, $34,880.13 in GTA.
Price County received $161,045.13 in GTA; City of Park Falls, $68,334.32 in GTA; City of Phillips, $49,163.21 in GTA; Village of Prentice, $11,665.64 in GTA; Town of Hill, $20,721.78 in GTA; Town of Knox, $22,584.57 in GTA; Town of Ogema, $38,480.49 in GTA; Town of Spirit, $19,999.08 in GTA.
Vilas County received $217,409.37 in GTA; City of Eagle River, $66,042.24 in GTA.
For a full list of governments that received transportation aid payments, visit https://wisconsindot.gov/Documents/doing-bus/local-gov/astnce-pgms/highway/gta-january.pdf.