BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – After more than 50 years of talk, Brown County has its biggest victory in its efforts to build a southern bridge over the Fox River.
Gov. Tony Evers’ administration says $50 million will be included in the next state budget for the bridge’s construction, which is expected to start in 2028.
“The year was 1968, LBJ was President of the United States and the Packers just beat the Raiders in Super Bowl II and Brown County first put the southern bridge in its comprehensive plan,” said Craig Thompson, secretary of Wisconsin’s Department of Transportation.
“We’re putting the $50 million in the budget. I feel very good that the legislature, with the advocacy of your legislators here, are going to be able keep that.”
Area Republicans say they’re confident it will get done, no matter who wins next month’s governor’s race.
“This is bipartisan,” said State Sen. Rob Cowles (R-Allouez). “I will fight for this. I believe this will happen.”
If you go between the Fox Valley and the east side of the Fox River in Brown County, the bridge should cut your commute time.
Adding the bridge is also expected to ease congestion for others and create an explosion of economic development for southern Brown County.
It is proposed to go between Red Maple and Rockland Roads, about 2.5 miles south of the Claude Allouez Bridge in downtown De Pere.
With Tuesday’s funding announcement, Brown County is on track to have the southern bridge built by as early as 2029.
It is significant news for area businesses, like Infinity Machine and Engineering Corporation in west De Pere.
“Just retaining people, finding new people to come here, it increases our radius that we can reach without increasing their time to come here,” said Brad LaPierre, a production manager at Infinity.
County officials say in 2025, an interchange will start being constructed as part of the I-41 expansion project. The road from it will connect to the southern bridge.
“Having direct access to 41, being able to get to the east side from vendors and other suppliers, that is going to be a significant improvement,” said LaPierre.
The location of the bridge was officially decided in 2020. De Pere Mayor James Boyd says since then, there’s been nearly $70 million of development in just the nearby De Pere business parks.
“So, as far as what’s going to happen from today’s announcement, moving forward to the finished product, significant. I have to imagine hundreds of millions of dollars.”
“You can go anywhere in this southern part of Brown County to see the economic opportunities just waiting,” said Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach.
When you factor in the interchange and the buildout of the corridors on both sides of the bridge, county officials estimate about $175 million will be spent.
Besides $50 million from the state, Brown County is expected to pitch in $30 million through the extension of the county’s half percent sales tax. De Pere is expected to contribute about the same amount. Other municipalities are also contributing millions.
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