Walker announces nearly $285,000 in Co. Forest Road Aids

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Governor Scott Walker announced Tuesday, March 12th that 24 Wisconsin counties will share $284,700 in state funds to help maintain and improve public roads in county forests.

The 2013 fiscal year funds are distributed through the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s County Forest Road Aids program. They will help improve more than 900 miles of public roads within county forests.

Marinette County, with more than 220 miles of eligible county forest roads, will receive the largest payment of more than $70,200.

To qualify for the state funding, roads must meet minimum design standards of a 16-foot surface width and a 20-foot roadway width; must be located within county forests; must be open and used for travel; and cannot be town roads, county or state highways.

County Forest Road Aids are separate from the larger General Transportation Aids (GTA) program. GTA returns to local governments nearly 19 percent of all state-collected transportation revenues (fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees), helping offset the cost of county and municipal road construction, maintenance, traffic and other transportation-related costs.

Counties and the amount of County Forest Road Aids being distributed are listed below: