Report Exposes Wisconsin Governor's "Highway Boondoggles"

Since rejecting $800 million in federal funds for HSR, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has proposed four new highway projects (estimated at a potential cost of $2 billion).

1 minute read

May 26, 2011, 2:00 PM PDT

By Victor Negrete


The report by WISPIRG, the Wisconsin affiliate of US PIRG, is critical of Governor Walker's plans to impose 10 percent cuts to local road repair and transit services in favor of "questionable projects and unnecessary highway expansions."

The new report also questions the use of ten year old data as justification for the widening of I-90 and highlights the fact that "the Wisconsin Department of Transportation has inexplicably chosen the most expensive option for construction in every case on this project."

"Governor Walker's highway boondoggles are like a homeowner building an addition for their hot tub while neglecting their leaky roof," said Phineas Baxandall, Senior Analyst for U.S. PIRG.

Thursday, May 26, 2011 in U.S. Pirg

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9, 2025 - Axios

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

Canadian flag in foreground with blurred Canadian Parliament building in background in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Has President Trump Met His Match?

Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.

March 11, 2025 - Toronto Star

Two people waiting to board arriving bus on a snowy day.

Study: Drops in Transit Ridership Linked to Extreme Weather

Unsurprisingly, people are less likely to use transit during extreme weather events, which are becoming more common around the country.

1 hour ago - Streetsblog USA

Washington state capitol dome in Olympia, Washington.

Washington State May Cap Rent Increases at 7 Percent

House Bill 1217 was passed by the House and will move next to the state Senate.

2 hours ago - Washington State Standard

Unhoused man holds up cardboard sign on street corner in Anchorage, Alaska with snowy mountains in background.

Alaska Considers “Homeless Bill of Rights”

The proposed bill builds on laws enacted by Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Illinois.

3 hours ago - Alaska Beacon

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.