SHEBOYGAN COUNTY, WI (WHBL) - The project to expand Highway 23 between Fond du Lac and Plymouth from two to four lanes will get underway this year, and it is scheduled to be completed in 2018. However, that end date could change due to the next state budget.
The Joint Finance Committee will decide this week how much money to put towards transportation projects over the next two years. Some lawmakers are concerned about the level of borrowing for transportation, and may decide to push back projects in order to lower those costs. Committee papers show the Highway 23 project could be affected by delaying work, and thus having the expansion completed in 2019.
In response, the Sheboygan County Chamber is asking its members to write to state legislators and government officials to not have the Highway 23 project delayed again.
“It’s been 30 years in the making, in the planning, and it’s been postponed numerous times during that period of time,” says executive director Betsy Alles. “So when we heard that perhaps it was in question in the budget negotiation, we thought it was time to let people know.”
Alles says one of the main concerns for chambers members is people’s safety on the roadway. She points to DOT figures that show both the expected increase in traffic on the highway in the near future, and the severity of crashes on the two-lane stretch being worse than the state average for similar rural state highways.
She says a volunteer firefighter from Plymouth sent her a copy of his letter to legislators regarding this point. “He said he wished the legislators could wear his beeper for a period of time, citing the amount of stress they would feel whenever paged to a Highway 23 accident,” says Alles.
Alles also says a delay in expansion will impact commerce. “There are a number of commercial vehicles that use this route; vehicles from many of our employers all along that stretch, as well as those from Fond du Lac."
Alles also said tourism can be impacted by a delay. “We see a lot of tourists that come from the western side of the state, or from the Madison area, even from Minneapolis that come to our area, especially during the summer months to enjoy our lakefront and all of the activities in many of our towns,” says Alles.
Overall, Alles says the overall goal of their effort is to keep Highway 23 in the mind of legislators as they consider the transportation budget. “We wanted to make sure that the pressure continues to be on for this project. We don’t want to see any part of it stalled. We’d like to see the entire 20 (mile) stretch completed.”