A number of Democratic politicians are calling on Gov. Scott Walker to convene a special legislative session to address road funding after the state revealed plans to delay a number of projects earlier this week.
U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, state Sen. Jennifer Shilling, and Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson are among those demanding the session in the wake of the state Department of Transportation’s announcement that it would put off five major projects for a two-year period.
Nelson said a two-year delay will end up costing taxpayers in the long run as interest rates and construction expenses go up. He also suggested that some of the improvements are urgently needed. He pointed to a nearly half-billion dollar expansion in the Fox Valley that was among the projects to get delayed, citing a recent accident that had traffic backed up on the roadway.
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“I was driving down to Oshkosh — it was supposed to take about 20 to 25 minutes from the south side of Appleton,” he said. “And it took almost 50 minutes. Why? Because there was yet another crash.”
The now-delayed Highway 441 interchange project would add more lanes and off-ramps.
Walker, however, told reporters in the Green Bay area that there’s “no need for a special session.” He said that money for the projects is in the budget, and that the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee simply needs to approve the bonding for the projects.
“This is not a budgetary issue,” he said.
Walker added that he is “still committed” to not raising the gas tax.
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