While many state legislators have criticized Gov. Scott Walker for failing to fund Wisconsin’s road projects, Department of Transportation Secretary Dave Ross says the money is available.
“It’s a spending problem, not a revenue problem,” Dave told the Waunakee Rotary Club at its April 19 meeting.
When funding is allocated a little at a time for each major project, the construction ends up costing more and taking many years to complete.
“Do we have enough revenue to support our transportation system in Wisconsin? The answer is yes,” Dave said.
The state takes in between $800 million and $1 billion in federal transportation aid, and the state adds another $1.5 billion for roads.
Local municipalities ask why their roads are in poor conditions, and the answer is that funding is going to large, mega projects in the southeastern part of the state where new industries, such as Foxconn, are headed, he said.  
Dave said the state needs to finish some of the large projects and slow the start of new projects. The DOT has begun to complete road construction in areas within a shorter period of time this way, he said.
“We should build, we should finish, then we should be move onto other projects,” Ross said.
More money has been set aside for local road construction, with $76 million more in place. More funds are also set aside for the 10,000 bridges in the state to maintain, with $10 million more per year earmarked for that fund.
Dave said many are asking why tolls haven’t been seen as a way to generate more transportation revenue.
He said a tolling study has found that they’re “just not part of our culture.”
The federal government has four open slots for new toll systems, but only two have been applied for, Dave said.
The governor is also opposed to raising the gas tax because it adds to the economic burden on the state’s residents. Only if taxes can be decreased in other areas, lessening the burden, will a gas tax hike be considered, Dave added. Wisconsin has the 14th highest gas tax in the country, he said.
Some have indicated more transportation revenue will be needed as the number of economical hybrid cars that use less gas grows, but Dave said of the 8 million cars registered in the state, just 49,000 are hybrid vehicles.
Dave also weighed on roundabouts, noting that they’ve reduced the number of crash fatalities.
While many blame roads conditions for crashes, 95 percent are caused by human error, Dave said, adding that distracted, drugged and drunk driving all contribute.
“Slow down, be careful, be attentive and don’t drink,” Dave said.  

Other news:
–The club will have a clean-up day next Saturday, April 28.
–Sign-up sheets made the rounds for the Tri 4 Schools event.
–The Relay for Life has asked the Rotary Club to run a beer tent that evening.
 
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Guests: Caitie Durden, guest of Pat Durden; Guy Stratton, guest of Mark McFarland.  

 

Visiting Rotarians: None.

 

Birthdays: April 30, Harriet Statz; May 2, Jim Jukes.

 

Anniversaries: April 26, Sean and Holly Wayne; April 28, Scott and Melanie Cochems; May 2, Michael and Chelsey Blodgett.

 

Greeters: April 26, Allison Feldbruegge and Jim Fitzpatrick; May 3, Greg Garton and Randy Guttenberg; May 10, Rich Harris and Travis Heiser; May 17, Don Hoffman and Mick Holm.