WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAU) – Now that the state budget is on the books, the Department of Transportation is getting ready to start bidding out projects across the state.
But Secretary Mark Gottlieb says it's not only southern Wisconsin the will benefit from this year's budget. He says that funding repairs south of the Central Wisconsin funnels traffic and tourists north of Madison towards the region. “More travelers means more tourists means more money for local economies.”
Gottlieb adds that major artery roads are in major need of repair, including Highway 10 in Wood County and the Fox Valley. Highway 10 in Wood County will be finished up on time and on budget next year. Highway 52 in Wausau will be finished this year as well. “ Most of the work, our bread and butter, is the 12 thousand miles of state highway across the state of Wisconsin.” The road there will be expanded in width, and with this budget they'll have the funding to repair that interchange with 41.
Gottlieb says it's worth the price of having to sit through construction. “The department tries very hard to reduce disruption as well as they can.” He added that the construction process itself is a job building process, and that we haven't been able to outsource that yet.
