Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association

Building a Better Wisconsin

Transportation investment keeps Wisconsin moving, literally and figuratively.

It allows businesses to remain competitive in the global economy, providing a path for expansion and additional job opportunities. Good transportation expands their base of potential customers.

It provides workers with access to additional job opportunities and earning potential, which generates additional tax revenue for vital public services. Good transportation is not about cutting commute times by two minutes a day; it’s about expanding opportunities for citizens.

Transportation investment allows communities to realize their long-term goals. For small towns, a reconstructed Main Street is often the first step to a revitalized business district. For larger communities, rebuilt thoroughfares provide a gateway to the community and help focus development efforts.

2011 Contractor-Engineer Conference Presentation Materials

You can view or download conference presentation materials (PDF) from the 2011 Contractor-Engineer Conference, which occurred on January 19-20, 2011.

Breakout Sessions:
Here are some examples of how transportation investment is building a better Wisconsin:

Economic development highways

4-lane highways became a magnet for jobs during the 1990s, as 92% of new manufacturing jobs located within 5 miles of a key state highway.

Click below for new job locations:
1_Manufacturing_jobs_highways.ppt

Nationally respected consulting firm Cambridge Systematics estimated in 2003 that for every $1 invested in state highway improvements, Wisconsin would receive $3 in direct and indirect economic benefits.Click below for the study:
CambridgeExecSummary.pdf

A WisDOT study on the significance of its Interstate system found that 57% of Southeast Wisconsin’s manufacturers with 100 or more employees are located within two miles of the Interstate and that completion of key Interstate segments was followed by rapid growth in per-capita income.

Click below for the study:
DOT_Interstate_Study.doc

Transit

Each $1 invested in improved transit service in Wisconsin was found to produce an estimated $3.61 in economic benefits. Click below for the study:


Transit_Benefits_Study.pdf

Airports

97% of new manufacturing jobs during the 1990s located in communities within 15 miles of a public-use airport.

Click below for new job locations:
Manufacturing_jobs_airports.ppt

The economic significance of airports in Wisconsin is estimated at $2.8 billion in increased output, $1.1 billion in increased personal income and 41,738 jobs.

Click here to read more



Railroads

67% of new manufacturing jobs during the 1990s located in communities within 1 mile of a railroad.

Click below for new job locations:
Manufacturing_jobs_railroads.ppt

Ports

Wisconsin ports and waterways support 11,387 jobs and annually generate more than $1.3 billion in economic output and nearly $377 million in personal income.

Click here to read more

 

Safety

According to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, highway improvements have been shown to reduce crash rates from 35% to 67%.  Below are some sample segments:
1_crash_rates_before_improv.jpg

Highway 12: Madison to Sauk City

Lawsuits, threatened lawsuits, protests and calls increased environmental analysis delayed the improvement of Highway 12 to four lanes between 1985 and 1996.  During that time, there were 2,010 crashes along the dangerous 2-lane stretch of highway, resulting in 30 fatalities.  Since the new 4-lane facility opened in November 2005, safety has improved dramatically.

Read The Capital Times story

Highway 29

After the roadway was improved from a 2-lane to a 4-lane facility, the fatality rate was cut in half – despite a 75% increase in the volume of traffic on certain segments of the highway.

Click below for the study:
1_Highway_29_Final_Report.pdf