Smart Growth America has profiled Wisconsin’s transportation spending and made a series of recommendations for Wisconsin for Smart Transportation investments in the state. Former Maryland Governor Parris Glendening submitted the report which links investments in transit to growth in the economy to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.
Highlights of the report include:
- Spending more on repair and maintenance is a good investment: it saves the state money, saves citizens money, is a superior job creator, and is very popular among voters.
- Investments in public transportation create almost twice the jobs that highways do, help others get to their jobs, and attract private sector investment, creating still more jobs.
- Wisconsin should revisit near-term spending decisions and long-term project selection to improve transportation outcomes, add jobs, and grow Wisconsin’s economy.
Transportation spending will be a key issue in the upcoming legislative session as the transportation revenues are not keeping pace with spending decisions.