WISPIRG: Expensive Highway Projects Might Be Unnecessary

A New Report Questions State’s Big Spending on Highways In Light Of Reduced Wisconsin Driving.

WISPIRG’s analysis reviewed both the projections and actual traffic counts for these projects, and found that usage is consistently failing to reach the levels that were projected. State Highway 26 from Janesville to Watertown was listed among their examples.

Wheeler Report Excerpt:
Madison, WI— A new report from the WISPIRG Foundation finds that usage of seven recently completed highways has not developed as projected, and questions whether building massive and costly new highways is the best way to spend Wisconsin’s scarce transportation resources. The report, Road Overkill: Wisconsin Spends Big on Questionable Highways Even as Driving Declines, also finds that Wisconsinites are driving less per capita today than we did in 1997, further raising doubts as to whether expensive new highways are the best investments for Wisconsin’s transportation future.

“Wisconsin taxpayers should not be footing the bill for highways that aren’t needed, especially when other urgent transportation priorities like local road repair and transit are being shortchanged,” said Bruce Speight, WISPIRG Director.

Road Overkill Full Report: 21st Century Transportation