Year in Review: WisDOT celebrates projects, programs advancing Wisconsin transportation in 2024

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is celebrating a successful year of completing projects, growing programs and launching new initiatives to help improve the lives of Wisconsinites through advancements in all modes of transportation.

The WisDOT 2024 Year in Review video recaps many of the department’s highlights and accomplishments from the past year.

“Transportation connects all of us and this year has been full of significant projects across the state of Wisconsin,” WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman said. “Whether it’s improvements to roads, rails, trails, airports or harbors, supporting the growth of our transportation network provides an essential link between our communities, helping people and products get where they need to go safely and efficiently.”

In 2024, WisDOT moved forward 380 improvement projects in all corners of the state, valued at more than $1.3 billion. Since 2019, we’ve improved 8,648 miles of road and 2,080 bridges in Wisconsin.

Projects spanned every region, including these highlights:

·        Northwest: Upgrades to I-94 in Osseo improve traffic flow for travelers in northwest Wisconsin.

·        Southwest: Two new bridges in Lone Rock enhance a vital crossing at the connection of Highways 130 and 133.

·        North Central: US 8 near Rhinelander was reconstructed and continues to serve as a key route for Northwoods travelers.

·        Northeast: Construction is underway on I-41 between Appleton and Green Bay to enhance safety and support regional economic growth.

·        Southeast: Improvements to I-43, 794 and 94 in the Milwaukee area will re-envision our busy interstate system.

Federal funding continues to transform Wisconsin’s infrastructure. Since 2021, communities across the state have received 114 discretionary grants totaling $1.77 billion through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Significant projects that received discretionary grants in 2024:

·        Blatnik Bridge: $1 billion grant to rebuild the aging bridge between Superior and Duluth to improve freight movement at the Great Lakes’ largest port.

·        I-39/90/94 bridges: A project to rebuild bridges over the Wisconsin River and improve a critical freight and tourism link in southwest Wisconsin.

·        Rest areas: Additional parking and rest area upgrades in Sparta and Manitowoc County will support the trucking industry.

Expanding WisDOT programs

In 2024, WisDOT expanded existing programs and launched new ones to provide upgrades that will improve transportation services for all system users in Wisconsin.

New programs:

·        Driver education grants: The DMV distributed $6 million through the new driver education grant program to improve safety on the roads and make driver training accessible to more teenagers.

·        EV infrastructure: WisDOT awarded more than $23 million to 53 projects that will build out a network of electric vehicle charging stations, including the nation’s first EV grants to Tribal communities. Additional rounds of funding will fill coverage gaps.

·        Agricultural Roads Improvement Program (ARIP): $150 million in state funding supports the ag economy with upgrades to key routes across the state. An initial round of $50 million was awarded to 37 projects across 28 counties.

·        Bridge inventory: $12.5 million in state funding created a new program to inventory and inspect smaller bridges and culverts that don’t receive federal funding, to see where repairs or replacements are most needed.

Local infrastructure investments:

·        Local Roads Improvement Program (LRIP): About $174 million in state funding will help local communities across the state complete more than 1,000 local road improvement projects over the next five years.

·        Transportation Economic Assistance (TEA): WisDOT awarded more than $3 million in TEA grants to support projects that help attract employers to Wisconsin or encourage business and industry to remain and expand in the state. Communities receiving funding include DeForest, Pleasant Prairie, Milton and Marinette.

·        General Transportation Aids: Local governments received more than $536 million in General Transportation Aids financial assistance in 2024. The investments in the 2023-25 state budget resulted in the largest amount of funding for the program in state history.

·        Surface Transportation Program (STP): The STP provided two rounds of funding in 2024, including $200 million for more than 150 local road and bridge improvement projects across Wisconsin and more than $177 million for 76 projects in urban areas.

Rails, harbors, ports, rustic roads:

·        Borealis trains: WisDOT launched the new Borealis trains in 2024, which is the first passenger rail expansion in Wisconsin in 22 years. Borealis doubles service between the Twin Cities and Chicago with eight stops in Wisconsin.

·        Muskego Yard bypass: A $72.8 million federal grant for the Muskego Yard bypass in Milwaukee will improve freight and passenger rail services and set the stage for future passenger rail growth in Wisconsin.

·        Freight Railroad Infrastructure Improvement Program (FRIIP): Nearly $5 million in funding supports three freight rail improvement projects at facilities in Luxemburg, Reedsburg and Wrightstown.

·        Harbor Assistance Program (HAP): Grants totaling $10 million support eight harbor maintenance and improvement projects to promote waterborne freight and economic development in Wisconsin.

·        Rustic roads: Two new Rustic Roads were added to the list of lightly traveled scenic routes throughout the state. WisDOT also published a new Rustic Roads Guide featuring the two new roads and the work of local photographers.

Improving safety and driver services

Safety continued to be our top priority in 2024 as WisDOT looked to improve all modes of transportation, including these highlights:

·        Safer Together: WisDOT hosted the first-ever Safer Together-Summer Safety event to showcase safety-related programs and services and encourage a culture of safe driving in Wisconsin. The department also joined the USDOT’s Allies in Action campaign to demonstrate Wisconsin’s dedication to safety and take actions to reduce traffic fatalities.

·        Work zones: Throughout construction season, WisDOT hosted work zone safety events in each region to encourage safe driving to protect highway workers. 

·        Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAV): WisDOT continues to study and implement strategies to integrate CAV technologies. The department is working with local partners on pilot projects to test the feasibility of technologies designed to improve safety in work zones and law enforcement response areas.

State Patrol:

·        85^th Anniversary: The State Patrol celebrated 85 years as Wisconsin’s statewide law enforcement agency. Nearly 600 officers and staff enforce traffic laws, educate the public, and support emergency response.

·        Special enforcement: In an effort to reduce crashes and save lives on the roads, the Air Support Unit flew more than 80 traffic enforcement missions resulting in more than 2,800 citations for speeding, OWI and other violations; troopers worked with local law enforcement to conduct more than 800 traffic stops on the Beltline in Madison; State Patrol partnered with the trucking industry for Trooper in a Truck enforcement; and officers increased patrols for annual enforcement missions including Speed Awareness Day, Click It or Ticket and Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.

·        Recruitment: For the first time, State Patrol expanded its recruitment process to include current law enforcement officers along with traditional recruits.

·        Motorcycle safety: The Bureau of Transportation Safety launched a new motorcycle safety awareness campaign to encourage safe riding and reduce the number of crashes involving motorcycles.

Driver services:

·        Motorists’ handbook: WisDOT released a new motorists’ handbook to educate drivers on the rules of the road.

·        EV stickers: The Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) created new license stickers for electric or hybrid vehicle owners, to improve first responder safety after a crash.

·        Emergency contact info: The DMV now offers the option to add emergency contact info to driver license data, which gives law enforcement ability to contact loved ones quickly in an emergency.

·        New license plates: Three new plates are available to support non-profits, including the International Crane Foundation, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and The Fix Is In, Inc., a spay-neuter organization that supports shelter animals.

·        Driver license award: WisDOT celebrated special recognition for the Wisconsin driver license after receiving the “Best ID Card” award from the International Card Manufacturers Association.

WisDOT welcomed Wisconsin’s first female secretary of transportation in 2024. Secretary Kristina Boardman is looking to the future with a focus on strategic investment, safety and workforce development to deliver a safe and efficient transportation system for the people of Wisconsin.

“I am so proud of all that we have accomplished in 2024, and I am even more excited for what we’re going to do in 2025. Our responsibility as a state agency is to continue leading the state in finding ways to enhance mobility, improve safety, and make a difference in our communities,” Secretary Boardman said.