BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) – Local leaders say they’re making serious progress towards a long talked about transportation project.
“Quite frankly the farthest we’ve ever been to address the southern bridge in the history of the discussion,” says Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach.
For context, some politicians have had this debate ongoing since before the start of their careers.
“Something that’s been talked about in my district for so long. Really… was talked about when I was just starting high school,” explains State Senator André Jacque, R-De Pere.
At the heart of the project would be a southern bridge that would cross between Red Maple on the west side and Rockland Road on the east side.
Also included in the plan is an I-41 expansion project, that would mean additional lanes along a 23 mile-stretch from Scheuring Road to Highway 96.
On Monday, local leaders gathered to share their support for the overall project.
“What took place was the enumeration of the I-41 expansion that includes the interchange that would connect the southern bridge,” says Streckenbach.
According to him, have so many local and regional leaders in lock-step, supporting the project, it sends a serious sign to both state and federal officials.
“By making it a priority it sends a message to the federal government, of which we’re hoping to be able to pull dollars down from the federal government to support this project,” he says.
Local business leaders also gathered at the event to offer their support
For officials, they are the ones that continue to miss out the longer that this process takes.
“You can see the development that’s taking place in the town of Lawrence [and] the village of Hobart,” says Streckenbach.
The Legislature’s joint finance committee recommended $6 million dollars, earlier this month, to be used to study the area and look at environmental factors before any expansion or bridge.
The full legislature will first have to approve how much money goes into the project.
“I think that you’re going to see the budget go to the governor’s desk by the end of the week,” says Jacque.
At that point, it would ultimately be up to the governor, who has the ability to administer full or partial vetoes to the budget.
“It would be a relatively unfortunate situation, we’re hoping for his support,” explains Streckenbach. “The main theme was to show the governor that there is a lot of support for this.”
