Roads in Wisconsin
Who pays for them?
A new research report provided by the State Smart Transportation Initiative and 1000 Friends of Wisconsin details the sources of funding for Wisconsin highways and roads. The report aims to clear up some of the misconceptions people have about how transportation is funded. The report discusses the fact that roads in Wisconsin are not just paid for by users (through gas tax, tolls, and licensing). Rather, they are heavily subsidized by taxpayers. Between 2004 and 2008, roads in Wisconsin cost an average of $4.24 billion annually. $1.74 billion came from revenue sources unrelated to road use, such as property and sales taxes. Read the full report here.