The new state budget finally acknowledges the growing concerns of citizens and businesses with an increase of $200 million a year in ongoing revenue, the largest increase in decades.

With the increased investment, Wisconsin can:

• Move up more than 200 vital state highway rehabilitation projects around the state, stabilizing state highway conditions

• Increase support for local roads and transit services

• Complete the Zoo Interchange and invest in other important modernization and safety projects, including Highway 23 and I-39/90

• Reduce bonding to the lowest level in 20 years

This bipartisan agreement was an important first step. However, while this budget stops the system decline, it doesn’t solve the problem.

We must establish an equitable, sustainable, ongoing revenue stream to meet our future transportation needs. Getting goods to the marketplace requires sound transportation infrastructure. A thriving tourism industry depends on visitors being able to move easily and safely to our lakes, parks and campgrounds across the state. And whether you drive to work over local roads, state highways and the interstate or take the bus, every sector of our economy is hampered and our public safety jeopardized when our transportation system fails to perform as needed.

It’s time for the next step. It’s time to find a long-term solution to meet our transportation investment needs.