By Blake Jackson
Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) have announced the recipients of the remaining $100 million from the Agricultural Road Improvement Program (ARIP).
This funding, part of a $150 million allocation in the state budget, will be used to upgrade local roads crucial for transporting agricultural goods.
“These grants will have a substantial impact on Wisconsin’s farm economy, and we couldn’t be more grateful to Sens. Marklein, Tomczyk and Ballweg and Reps. Tranel and VanderMeer spearheading this effort and to the members of the Wisconsin legislature and Gov. Evers for getting this done,” said Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation President Brad Olson. “These grants are a great start to remedying this long-standing problem.”
WisDOT received over 299 applications for more than $500 million in projects, highlighting the significant need for such investments.
The awarded projects will improve the efficiency of transporting agricultural goods across the state, benefiting both farmers and consumers.
“The half-billion dollars in applications the DOT received for this brand-new program proves what those of us in the farm community have known for decades,” said Olson. “Our rural roads are in desperate need of attention if we want our farm economy to survive and thrive, and we need this program to continue.”
The ARIP was established through bipartisan legislation authored by Senators Marklein, Tomczyk, Ballweg, and Representatives Tranel and VanderMeer, and signed into law by Governor Evers.
Photo Credit: istock-jmichl
Categories: Wisconsin, Business, Government & Policy