Wisconsin communities receiver over $32M for alternative transportation projects

MADISON, Wis. -- The Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced over $32 million in federal funding Friday for 56 projects throughout the state supporting alternative, non-motorized transportation.

The money is part of WisDOT's Transportation Alternatives Program, which is funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The 56 selected projects are given up to an 80% federal cost share with a minimum 20% local sponsor cost share.

"The Transportation Alternatives Program can make a real difference in Wisconsin communities through investments in multimodal transportation options," WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman said. " We’re excited to administer this funding to local governments and help make connectivity improvements in villages, towns, cities, and counties that otherwise wouldn’t be possible."

Dane County was one of the many sponsors that received funding. The county requested $1 million for the Walking Iron Trail in order to build three miles of trail on the former rail bed between State Highway 78 and the forthcoming Wisconsin River Recreation Bridge.

That funding will help the county's goal to connect the Walking Iron Trail to the Great Sauk State Trail.

New Glarus also received funding to install Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons at four intersections in the village. Three will be placed on 2nd Street next to the elementary school, middle/high school and athletic complex. The fourth will be placed along State Highway 69 at the Sugar River State Trail crossing.

Verona also received funding for a Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacon system, which will be located at the intersection of West Verona Ave. and Westlawn Ave., while the City of Fort Atkinson was awarded over $1.7 million to fill-in or add sidewalks within blocks of all city schools.

The City of Madison received nearly $2.5 million for three shared-use path projects. The first would be placed on East Rusk Ave. and would like the Rimrock Road and West Badger Road paths on the city's south side. Another path would run along Moorland Road, connecting the Capital City Trail to the Moorland-Rimrock neighborhood at Raywood Road.

The third path would be placed along Woodward Drive. In their application for the funding, city officials said this would be the first face of the Sherman Flyer Path, a long-planned trail along the Union Pacific railroad corridor connecting to Sheridan Drive.

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