Gov. Pothole has allowed Wisconsin's roads to decay to 2nd-worst in the country.
Worse, Walker's failure as party leader to resolve GOP-infighting over how and where basic transportation needs will be funded (and to that crew, 'transportation' means roads, so forget already-dismissed and degraded transit, bike and pedestrian services) is intensified by election-year Foxconn mono-mania that is further eroding the state's entire transportation network.
So think of a stretch of road full of potholes with an expanding sinkhole underneath, and that's what Walker and one-party GOP rule have given people across the state for a 'transportation system.'
We deserve better.
Case in point: the major Dane County's highway corridor known as the South Beltline.
The basic facility is outdated, even hazardous, and while substantial growth is projected to add even more congestion in the corridor, Walker has been told by the feds who pony up the biggest share of such projects that it would be wasteful right now to even finish spending on a study to address the long-term issues:
And here's rest of the political story:
Unless your road project has the word "Foxconn" on it, Walker has no interest in funding it.
The Foxconn financial diversion folly has to date included a special, fast-tracked $30 million, and another $134 million drained For Foxconn related pavement matters from other projects statewide, and another borrowed $252 million borrowing to finish slowed I-94 North/South improvements near and into the projected Foxconn complex.
That's more than $400 million for pavement to aid Foxconn - - so take away more funding from projects statewide as highway money dwindles.
Plus - - Walker hopes to cover that $252 borrowing with a Federal infrastructure grant from the Federal government even though Trump and the GOP-led Congress just deeply and permanently cut the flow of money into the Treasury so their top donors could get to keep more if their money.
Which funds big highway projects. The South Beltline project, if ever launched, could cost $1 billion.
The Zoo Interchange remains incomplete.
Transit systems run on shoestrings.
Bottom line: Walker is extremely vulnerable statewide on having punted basic revenue-raising obligations, keeping the roads repaired, and managing projects without chaos.
Walker and the GOP should be called out on this every day.
Worse, Walker's failure as party leader to resolve GOP-infighting over how and where basic transportation needs will be funded (and to that crew, 'transportation' means roads, so forget already-dismissed and degraded transit, bike and pedestrian services) is intensified by election-year Foxconn mono-mania that is further eroding the state's entire transportation network.
So think of a stretch of road full of potholes with an expanding sinkhole underneath, and that's what Walker and one-party GOP rule have given people across the state for a 'transportation system.'
We deserve better.
Case in point: the major Dane County's highway corridor known as the South Beltline.
The basic facility is outdated, even hazardous, and while substantial growth is projected to add even more congestion in the corridor, Walker has been told by the feds who pony up the biggest share of such projects that it would be wasteful right now to even finish spending on a study to address the long-term issues:
...the Highway Administration warned the [Wisconsin] DOT last year against advancing the Beltline study to the environmental phase, saying it “does not believe the timing is right to initiate another project in the (environmental phase) when there are so many other projects that are further advanced and should be completed.”It's the consequence of Walker's abandoning policy stewardship and government leadership in favor of a maintaining his key campaign talking point: always being able to run for office by saying he never approved a tax increase, even if the outcome is rutted roads and project delays.
The state budget enacted in September didn’t provide a revenue infusion for transportation, leaving such funds in short supply through 2019 — and causing Gov. Scott Walker’s administration to curtail its road-building ambitions.Also curtailed: riding Wisconsin roads without hitting potholes that will loosen your fillings, burst your tires and break your shocks.
And here's rest of the political story:
Unless your road project has the word "Foxconn" on it, Walker has no interest in funding it.
The Foxconn financial diversion folly has to date included a special, fast-tracked $30 million, and another $134 million drained For Foxconn related pavement matters from other projects statewide, and another borrowed $252 million borrowing to finish slowed I-94 North/South improvements near and into the projected Foxconn complex.
That's more than $400 million for pavement to aid Foxconn - - so take away more funding from projects statewide as highway money dwindles.
Plus - - Walker hopes to cover that $252 borrowing with a Federal infrastructure grant from the Federal government even though Trump and the GOP-led Congress just deeply and permanently cut the flow of money into the Treasury so their top donors could get to keep more if their money.
Which funds big highway projects. The South Beltline project, if ever launched, could cost $1 billion.
The Zoo Interchange remains incomplete.
Transit systems run on shoestrings.
Bottom line: Walker is extremely vulnerable statewide on having punted basic revenue-raising obligations, keeping the roads repaired, and managing projects without chaos.
Walker and the GOP should be called out on this every day.