The court battle over expanding Highway 23 to a four-lane road between Plymouth and Fond du Lac has state officials frustrated, including Governor Scott Walker.
The land has already been acquired, and the state’s portion of the funds have already been budgeted to finish the road. Wisconsin Eastern District Judge Lynn Adelman denied the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration’s request to restart that construction project, ruling in favor of an environmental group called 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, which questions the need for the project based on population and traffic projections.
Walker, along with state Department of Transportation officials and several legislators want the nearly 15-year delay to end. “We want the court to change that. We think there’s a legitimate safety need, particularly between Sheboygan and Fond du Lac counties. That’s an important area. There’s a lot of safety concerns with that, and we’re hoping we can push the court to get out of the way from blocking that.”
Judge Adelman’s ruling also cuts off the federal government’s share of the 146-million dollar project, which is nearly 40-million dollars.
Walker says travelers for work and pleasure need a safer Highway 23. State Senator Devin Lemahieu from Oostburg is also pushing for the project to expand, saying not one constituent has called him in opposition to the highway expansion.
1000 Friends of Wisconsin is an environmental action group that promotes Smart Growth, green land use, public transportation, and watershed protection. They also have similar chapters in other states including Oregon, Florida, and Iowa.
