The plan would go a long way (82%) toward doubling the current expenditure on the Major Highway Program which literally doubled during the past 10 years.  The legislature typically enumerates about six "majors" projects every biennium and about 70% of the program traditionally goes to highway capacity expansion.

 
    DOT                               Current          Draft
Program                         Spending    Proposal    Increase     %Increase

Rehabilitation                  $9.7 bill.      $12.7             $3.0              31%
Major Highway Program
   (mostly expansions)     $4.0 bill.        $7.3             $3.3              82%

Total Spending             $13.7 bill.    $19.9             $6.2              45%
 

STATE HIGHWAY LANE MILES (APPROXIMATE)

Program                      Route Miles           Lane Miles

Corridors 2020               300                         3,650*

1998 SHP                       700                         3,000

 *ABOUT 3,000 HAVE BEEN ENUMERATED.   (PROJECT SPENDING HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE LEGISLATURE.)
 

SAFETY

The SHP would only reduce geometric deficiencies (that can cause accidents) from 42% to 31% statewide, primarily on larger, Corridors 2020 routes.  This reduction would focus on a relatively few big, multilane Corridors 2020 highways and pays little attention to poor geometrics on two-lane roads.  (Note: Alternative #3 offered a 3% deficiency goal.)
 

LAND DIRECTLY CONSUMED

22,000-25,000 acres of land would be lost directly to new right of way for state highways, including about 1,000 acres of wetlands.
 

INDUCED (GENERATED) ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC

Not estimated.  National studies indicate that 60-90% of the additional traffic on an expanded highway is due to "induced traffic."  (Note: Induced traffic is the additional traffic that is generated by new capacity from pent-up auto trips, trips diverted from other modes and routes, and the traffic generated by highly auto-dependent sprawl development.  Induced traffic brings congestion back, usually sooner than predicted.)
 

SECONDARY LAND USE IMPACTS

Not estimated.  National studies indicate that increased transportation access generates new, sprawl type land use development at a rate of several times the loss in land consumed directly for highway right of way.  Other state DOTs, including Florida and Oregon have or adopting methodologies for estimating these sprawl impacts which typically mean lost farmland and habitat and higher local government costs.
 

AIR POLLUTION

Misleading and erroneous estimate.  WisDOT projects a 14% reduction in overall emissions (ozone precursors and greenhouse gases) due almost entirely to improved fuel efficiency standards, an optimistic scenario that has nothing to do with the SHP and which has been contradicted lately with the rising popularity of trucks and SUVs.  They also project a 2% reduction in emissions from less congestion but fail to calculate the effect of induced traffic which would be many times 2%.
 

TAX INCREASE

The funding shortfall of almost $300 million per year could be met with a combination of state user fees and improved federal funding.  If financed with Wisconsin's most typical method, the gasoline tax, the tax needed would be as much as 10 cent per gallon unless nearly all of the increase in multimodal federal money Wisconsin hopes to get this year is spent on state highways.  In that case, the gas tax hike would still be about cent per gallon.  (Note:  a 1 cent gas tax increase = about $30 million/year.)
 

ALTERNATIVES COMPARISON OF % DEFICIENT MILES BY KEY CRITERIA

The SHP would provide for only a small percentage reduction in miles of state highway with safety problems.   It emphasizes highway capacity expansions and pavement improvements, especially for multilane highways.

  % Miles                % Poor                  % Poor Safety
Alternative
Congested            Pavement                Geometrics
 

Now   -  8%                 26%                         42%
 

SHP  -  4%                  5%                           31%
 
 
WisDOT Public Hearing Schedule for State Highway Plan

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation will be hosting informational meetings for the public to talk with WisDOT staff. The State Highway Plan recommends changes to the State Trunk Highway System.   It is one of the first steps in the WisDOT budget development process, and the largest item in that budget.  These meetings are opportunities for the public to ask questions, make recommendations, and comment on the State Highway Plan.  WisDOT will the input from these sessions to make appropriate changes to the recommendation, and develop the shorter six-year piece of the plan.

Region - Location -   Date

Fox River Valley, UW Fox Valley Auditorium,  June 10
Eau Claire, Chippewa Valley Tech. College, June 15
Wausau, John Muir Middle School, June 16
Madison, WisDOT, 2101 Wright St., June 22
Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac Co. Offices, June 23
Waukesha, Waukesha Expo Center, June 18
Superior, Superior Library Conference Rm, June 25

It is extremely important to make a strong showing at these meetings and speak out against needless new highways!  Please use the attached fact sheet for speaking points.