Interest Group Takes Aim at Highway 64 Expansion Project

A group called the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group (WISPIRG) issued a report last week showing that traffic on Wisconsin Highway 64 from Houlton to New Richmond are far below projections, according to a Wisconsin Public Radio piece by Shamane Mills.

The report was issued the week before ground was broken on the new St. Croix River Crossing, which used the traffic projections to help get the massive infrastructure project approved. Titled "Road Overkill," the report contends that the State of Wisconsin continues to spend taxpayer money to build new roads even as evidence suggests that people are driving less.

From a WISPIRG news release introducing the report:

“If Wisconsinites are driving less, the state shouldn’t put more money into new expansion projects. Legislators should spend more time on making a budget that makes good sense – not one that maximizes road builder contributions to their campaigns,” said Steve Hiniker, Executive Director of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin.

From the "Road Overkill" report:

State Highway 64, St. Croix County – In 1994, WisDOT predicted an increase in traffic by 2016 of 75 to 101 percent for this highway in St. Croix County. After a $109 million upgrade, by 2012 traffic on the road had increased just 21 to 56 percent. Traffic volumes would need to increase another 28 to 44 percent in just the next four years to reach the volumes predicted for 2016.

READ THE "ROAD OVERKILL" REPORT (HIGHWAY 64 BEGINS ON PAGE 23)