The Windsor Village Board voted unanimously in favor of applying for the Agricultural Roads Improvement Program (ARIP) in hopes of rehabilitating a section of N. Meixner Road on Thursday, April 4.
The application outlines a project corridor on the road between from CTH V to the Columbia County border, roughly 1.2 miles. It cites the deteriorated asphalt, disrepair and annual posting of weight limits in the corridor as reasoning for serious funding consideration.
Village staff also heralded the proposed project as a way to improve transportation conditions for agricultural goods, reduce logistical costs and enhance market accessibility.
Windsor residents may know this stretch of road due to its proximity to Nutrien Ag Solutions and several other locally-owned farm properties. N. Meixner Road sees a high level of agricultural traffic thanks to its location in the community.
According to Village President, Bob Wipperfurth, Nutrien submitted a letter of support to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation along with the village’s application.
Wipperfurth also drew on conversations he has had with farmers in the area about the proposed road improvements. He spent roughly 40 hours speaking with those whose land is in close proximity to the area to gauge support for the application in the week leading up to the board’s vote.
The village president also drew from the expertise of Windsor resident and Director of Policy and Communications at the Wisconsin Agri-Business Association, Grace Howe.
After speaking with Wipperfuth about the potential grant application, Howe also submitted a letter of support in favor of the village’s proposal.
The application outlines a total estimated project cost $848,000. The bulk of this estimation is made up of $790,000 in construction, while the rest is split between design and engineering costs.
Board members inquired about how much of the funding the village would be responsible for on April 4. Wipperfurth clarified that 90% of the cost would be covered by the state while Windsor would be responsible for the remaining 10%, or $84,800.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation became responsible for reviewing applications disbursing ARIP grant funding in June, 2023 via Senate Bill 247 (Act 13). The program is modeled after the Local Roads Improvement Program which has been operating since 1991.
The state legislature set aside a total $150 million for the program from 2023 to 2025. A total of $50 million is set to be awarded during this first round of applications with the remaining $100 million becoming available in the future.
Wipperfurth stated that even if the village’s proposal is rejected the first time around, it will have ability to reapply with the same project in the future.
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