This bill adds 3 major highway projects recommended by TPC to the list of
enumerated projects and requires DOT to complete the enumerated project
involving STH 29 between Green Bay and I 94 by January 1, 2000.
Under current law, a county forest road aid program annually provides $200 per
mile of qualifying road to assist counties with the costs of improving public roads in
county forests. This bill increases the county forest road aid rate per mile from $200
to $400.
This bill establishes a reserve account of $15,000,000 in the transportation fund
that may be expended either for state highway rehabilitation associated with the
construction of a new baseball stadium to be used by the Milwaukee Brewers or for
construction activities on the East-West Freeway between Milwaukee and
Waukesha. The bill also creates in the transportation fund reserve accounts from
which the joint committee on finance may authorize DOT to expend up to
$26,698,000 for construction activities on the East-West Freeway between
Milwaukee and Waukesha.
This bill creates a high-cost bridge program to fund the rehabilitation of
bridges on the state trunk highway system that have a deck area greater than 40,000
square feet.
Current law imposes weight limitations for vehicles operating on highways in
this state and specifies exceptions to those vehicle weight limits. Certain vehicle
weight limit exceptions do not apply or are further restricted on highways that are
part of the national system of interstate and defense highways. These exceptions
include weight limitations for the transportation of raw forest and agricultural
products or of metallic or nonmetallic scrap and for transportation of materials
between industrial plants.
This bill provides that, for purposes of vehicle weight limit exceptions, USH 51
between Wausau and STH 78 and that portion of STH 78 between USH 51 and the
I 90/94 interchange near Portage are not part of the national system of interstate and
defense highways upon their federal designation as I 39.
This bill requires DOT to repave approximately 1.25 miles of I 43, replacing the
existing tined surface with a nontined surface, within 8 months.
Drivers and motor vehicles
Under current law, DOT administers a classified driver license system to
implement the requirements of the federal commercial motor vehicle safety act of
1986. The classified driver license system provides a comprehensive single license
authorizing the operation of specific classes and types of motor vehicles, including
commercial motor vehicles. In addition, DOT disqualifies any driver who has
committed certain serious traffic-related offenses from operating a commercial
motor vehicle for a certain period of time, up to a lifetime disqualification.
This bill makes numerous changes to the classified driver license system.
These changes include:
1. Creating new disqualifications for certain offenses relating to a commercial
driver license application and for operating a commercial motor vehicle while
ordered out-of-service for certain alcohol-related offenses. The bill imposes a longer
period of disqualification for an out-of-service violation if the person was operating
a hazardous materials transporter or a vehicle designed to carry, or which was
actually carrying, 16 or more persons.
2. Requiring a person operating, upon a highway in this state, motorized
construction equipment that is designed principally for off-road use, to possess a
valid Wisconsin driver's license. The motorized construction equipment operator is
exempt from any commercial driver licensing requirements. Current law exempts
such operators from all licensing requirements of DOT.
3. Changing restricted commercial driver licenses to prohibit only the
operation of commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce, rather than
prohibiting commercial motor vehicle operation outside this state and in interstate
commerce.
4. Increasing the fine that may be imposed on an employer who knowingly
allows or authorizes an employe to operate a commercial motor vehicle when the
employe is not validly authorized to operate the commercial motor vehicle. The
penalty is increased from a fine of not more than $5,000 to a fine of not less than
$2,500 nor more than $10,000.
5. Making ineligible for an occupational license any person whose license or
operating privilege was revoked or suspended within the previous year for a
controlled substances violation or a violation of the financial responsibility laws of
this state.
Current law permits the secretary of transportation to suspend or revoke a
person's operating privilege for repeated violations of state or local traffic laws. The
secretary is authorized to establish a schedule of demerit points based on the
seriousness of various traffic convictions. The secretary is required to reduce the
accumulated demerit points assessed against a person by up to 3 points if the person
successfully completes a rider course on motorcycle operation approved by the
secretary. Point reduction applies only to demerit points assessed for violations
committed before completion of the rider course while the person was driving or
operating a Type 1 motorcycle and may not occur more than once.
This bill removes the prohibition against such point reduction occurring more
than once per person.
Under current law, the operator of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting
in total damage of $500 or more to a publicly owned vehicle or to private property
must report the accident as soon as possible to the state patrol or to the law
enforcement agency of the jurisdiction where the accident occurred. Failure to report
an accident may result in a forfeiture of not less than $40 nor more than $200 or, for
a 2nd or subsequent offense within a year, a forfeiture of not less than $200 nor more
than $500.
Current law also requires DOT to notify the operator or owner of a motor vehicle
who is involved in an accident that results in property damage of $500 or more that
he or she must submit to DOT a deposit of security for the accident. A deposit of
security is not required if the person can provide proof of financial responsibility (an
applicable motor vehicle liability insurance policy or bond in effect at the time of the
accident providing minimum levels of liability insurance for bodily injury and
property damage). With certain exceptions, failure to provide a deposit of security
or proof of financial responsibility after an accident results in revocation of the
operator's motor vehicle operating privilege or of the registration of any vehicles
registered by the owner of the vehicle involved in the accident.
This bill raises the minimum property damage for these provisions from $500
to $1,000.
Under current law, a motor vehicle dealer may accept from a vehicle purchaser
applications and any required fees for registration or titling of the vehicle. The
dealer must forward the application and fees to DOT within 7 days after the vehicle
sale. DOT processes each application and forwards the applicable certificate of
registration or title to the purchaser.
This bill allows a motor vehicle dealer, by contract with DOT, to accept and
process applications, and any applicable fees, for vehicle registration or titling, and
to issue certificates of registration, certificates of title, registration stickers and
license plates. DOT may allow a motor vehicle dealer to charge an applicant a fee
for such services.
Under current law, DOT is required to take a photograph of any applicant for
a driver's license or identification card (ID card) and affix the photograph to the
driver's license or ID card issued to that applicant.
This bill authorizes DOT to take and use a digitized image of an applicant in
addition to, or in place of, a photograph for use on a driver's license or ID card issued
to that applicant. The bill also requires that any photograph, including a digitized
image, be kept confidential by DOT and be used only by DOT, by authorized law
enforcement authorities, by state agencies, by federal agencies or as the applicant
may direct. The bill also authorizes DOT to keep and maintain signatures of driver's
license applicants, but allows DOT to release a signature or signature facsimile only
to the signatory.
Transportation aids
Under current law, DOT administers a local transportation aids program.
Under the program, DOT makes aid payments to a county based on a share of costs
formula for counties, and to a municipality (city, village or town) based on the greater
of a share of costs formula for municipalities or an aid rate per mile ($1,350 for 1995).
This bill increases the aid rate per mile to $1,390 in 1996 and to $1,432 for 1997 and
thereafter.
Under current law, DOT pays 42% of the operating expenses of an urban mass
transit system if the local public body that provides the mass transit system is
eligible for aid under the urban mass transit operating assistance program. DOT
also makes supplemental operating assistance payments to eligible systems with
annual operating expenses greater than $20,000,000 and an annual ridership of
more than 7,000,000 one-way trips.
This bill revises the funding formula for the program and eliminates
supplemental operating assistance payments. Under the bill, DOT makes state aid
payments sufficient to ensure that the combination of state and federal aids
contributed toward the operating expenses of an urban mass transit system equals
a uniform percentage established by DOT. The bill requires DOT to establish
uniform percentages for each of the following: 1) urban mass transit systems with
annual operating expenses in excess of $80,000,000; 2) urban mass transit systems
with annual operating expenses in excess of $20,000,000 but less than $80,000,000;
3) mass transit systems with annual operating expenses of $20,000,000 or less but
serving an urban area having a population of at least 50,000; and 4) mass transit
systems in an urban area having a population of less than 50,000.
This bill requires DOT to establish, by rule, cost-efficiency standards for urban
mass transit systems and, if a mass transit system incurs costs inconsistent with
those standards, to exclude those costs from operating expenses for purposes of mass
transit aid or to reduce the amount of aid for the mass transit system under the
program. The bill requires DOT to establish a transit committee to assist in
developing the cost-efficiency standards and to advise DOT on implementing the
standards.
Under current law, DOT administers a transportation facilities economic
assistance and development (TEA) program. The TEA program provides grants to
private businesses or local governing bodies for up to 50% of the cost of developing
or improving transportation facilities, including highways and certain railway,
harbor and airport facilities, that are essential to a business development project
that will directly and significantly increase the number of jobs in this state. DOT
may require the local governing body of the area in which the project is located to
guarantee the number of jobs that will be directly created by the business
development project within 3 years and maintained after 7 years. If the jobs
guarantee is not met, DOT may require the local governing body to repay up to the
full amount of the grant.
Under this bill, a local governing body is not required to repay a grant for failing
to meet the jobs guarantee if, before accepting the grant, the elctors of the locality
petition the local governing body for a referendum on whether the proposed business
development project should be undertaken or whether the political subdivision
should guarantee a number of jobs that will be created by the project. This exemption
does not apply if a referendum is held on the jobs guarantee requirement and the
question is approved by a majority of ballots cast.
This bill increases the level of revenue bonding for major highway projects and
transportation administrative facilities from $950,834,000 to $1,083,638,100, of
which not more than $1,041,341,000 may be used to fund such projects and facilities.
Rail and air transportation
Under current law, DOT is authorized to contract up to $10,000,000 in public
debt for the acquisition of rail property and for grants and loans awarded by DOT for
certain rail property acquisitions and improvements. This bill increases this
authorized general obligation bonding limit from $10,000,000 to $14,500,000.
Under current law, with specified exceptions, any aircraft based in this state is
required to be registered annually by its owner with DOT. An annual registration
fee is collected by DOT on the basis of the maximum gross weight of the aircraft, up
to a maximum of $3,125 for aircraft with a maximum gross weight of more than
100,000 pounds. DOT collects a charge for late payment of the annual registration
fee of up to 20% of the applicable fee.
This bill makes a number of changes in aircraft registration. The bill:
1. Establishes biennial registration for aircraft with a maximum gross weight
of not more than 3,000 pounds, with the current annual registration fee for the
aircraft doubled.
2. Requires a minimum late payment charge of $50.
3. Eliminates an aircraft dealer exemption from aircraft registration.
4. Changes the definition of "antique aircraft" to apply to any aircraft
manufactured in 1944 or earlier instead of aircraft more than 35 years old. Current
law permits antique aircraft to be registered with DOT for a one-time registration
fee of $50 that remains valid while the aircraft is owned by the registrant.
This bill allows the use of state funds for freight rail infrastructure
improvement loans to also be used for the loan component of the local share of
rehabilitation projects on publicly owned railroad lines.
Current law requires DOT to fund the rebuilding of any private road that
crosses the railroad tracks of a rail transit commission if, among other eligibility
requirements, the railroad tracks were rehabilitated during fiscal year 1992-93 or
thereafter. This bill specifies that "rehabilitated" means a significant rebuilding of
track that increases the service standard of the track.
Other transportation
Under current law, the state is authorized to issue general obligation bonds to
finance grants awarded by DOT for harbor improvements, with the principal
repayment and interest payments to be made from transportation fund revenue.
This bill increases the authorized general obligation bonding limit for grants
awarded by DOT for harbor improvements from $9,000,000 to $12,000,000.
Under current law, DOT administers a demonstration and training program for
the purpose of developing the capability of disadvantaged businesses to participate
in DOT construction projects. Under the program, disadvantaged businesses
include those businesses that are at least 51% owned by minority group members,
women or other individuals found by DOT to be socially and economically
disadvantaged according to certain federal criteria. The program is scheduled to
expire on June 30, 1995.
This bill extends the expiration date for the disadvantaged business
demonstration and training program until September 30, 1997.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB557-engrossed, s. 1
1Section
1. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes, as it affects 20.395 of the
2statutes, is repealed and recreated to read:
AB557-engrossed,20,87
20.395
(1) (bw)
Employment transit aids, state funds. The amounts in the
8schedule for the employment transit assistance program under s. 85.26.
AB557-engrossed, s. 2t
9Section 2t. 20.395 (1) (bw) of the statutes, as created by 1995 Wisconsin Act
10.... (this act), is renumbered 20.445 (1) (uy) and amended to read:
AB557-engrossed,21,3
120.445
(1) (uy)
Employment transit aids, state funds. The From the
2transportation fund, the amounts in the schedule for the employment transit
3assistance program under s.
85.26 106.26.
AB557-engrossed,21,75
20.395
(1) (dq)
Larger communities transit operating aids, state funds. The
6amounts in the schedule for mass transit aids to larger communities under s. 85.20
7(4m) (a) 1.
AB557-engrossed,21,119
20.395
(1) (dr)
Large communities transit operating aids, state funds. The
10amounts in the schedule for mass transit aids to large communities under s. 85.20
11(4m) (a) 2.
AB557-engrossed,21,1513
20.395
(1) (ds)
Medium-sized communities transit operating aids, state funds. 14The amounts in the schedule for mass transit aids to medium-sized communities
15under s. 85.20 (4m) (a) 3.
AB557-engrossed,21,1917
20.395
(1) (dt)
Small communities transit operating aids, state funds. The
18amounts in the schedule for mass transit aids to small communities under s. 85.20
19(4m) (a) 4.
AB557-engrossed, s. 9
20Section
9. 20.395 (2) (bq) (title) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to
21read:
AB557-engrossed,21,2222
20.395
(2) (bq) (title)
Rail service assistance, state funds.
AB557-engrossed,22,3
120.395
(2) (bu)
Freight rail infrastructure improvements, state funds. As a
2continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for loans under s. 85.08 (4m)
3(d) and (e) and to make payments under s. 85.085.
AB557-engrossed,22,85
20.395
(3) (bq)
Major highway development, state funds. As a continuing
6appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for major development of state trunk and
7connecting highways and, before
July 1, 1995 October 1, 1997, for the disadvantaged
8business demonstration and training program under s. 84.076.
AB557-engrossed,22,1510
20.395
(3) (bv)
Major highway development, local funds. All moneys received
11from any local unit of government or other source for major development of state
12trunk and connecting highways, including the railroad and utility alteration and
13relocation loan program under s. 84.065, and, before
July 1, 1995 October 1, 1997,
14the disadvantaged business demonstration and training program under s. 84.076,
15for such purposes.
AB557-engrossed,22,2017
20.395
(3) (bx)
Major highway development, federal funds. All moneys received
18from the federal government for major development of state trunk and connecting
19highways and, before
July 1, 1995 October 1, 1997, the disadvantaged business
20demonstration and training program under s. 84.076, for such purposes.
AB557-engrossed,23,822
20.395
(3) (cq)
State highway rehabilitation, state funds. As a continuing
23appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for improvement of existing state trunk
24and connecting highways; for improvement of bridges on state trunk or connecting
25highways and other bridges for which improvement is a state responsibility, for
1necessary approach work for such bridges and for replacement of such bridges with
2at-grade crossing improvements; for the construction and rehabilitation of the
3national system of interstate and defense highways and bridges and related
4appurtenances; for special maintenance activities under s. 84.04 on roadside
5improvements; for bridges under s. 84.10; for payment to a local unit of government
6for a jurisdictional transfer under s. 84.02 (8); and, before
July 1, 1995 October 1,
71997, for the disadvantaged business demonstration and training program under s.
884.076.
AB557-engrossed,23,2110
20.395
(3) (cv)
State highway rehabilitation, local funds. All moneys received
11from any local unit of government or other source for the specific information sign
12program under s. 86.195; for improvement of existing state trunk and connecting
13highways; for improvement of bridges on state trunk or connecting highways and
14other bridges for which improvement is a state responsibility, for necessary approach
15work for such bridges and for replacement of such bridges with at-grade crossing
16improvements; for the construction and rehabilitation of the national system of
17interstate and defense highways and bridges and related appurtenances; for special
18maintenance activities under s. 84.04 on roadside improvements; for the railroad
19and utility alteration and relocation loan program under s. 84.065 and, before
July
201, 1995 October 1, 1997, for the disadvantaged business demonstration and training
21program under s. 84.076, for such purposes.
AB557-engrossed,24,723
20.395
(3) (cx)
State highway rehabilitation, federal funds. All moneys
24received from the federal government for improvement of existing state trunk and
25connecting highways; for improvement of bridges on state trunk or connecting
1highways and other bridges for which improvement is a state responsibility, for
2necessary approach work for such bridges and for replacement of such bridges with
3at-grade crossing improvements; for the construction and rehabilitation of the
4national system of interstate and defense highways and bridges and related
5appurtenances; for special maintenance activities under s. 84.04 on roadside
6improvements and, before
July 1, 1995 October 1, 1997, for the disadvantaged
7business demonstration and training program under s. 84.076, for such purposes.
AB557-engrossed,24,179
20.395
(3) (eq)
Highway maintenance, repair and traffic operations, state
10funds. Biennially, the amounts in the schedule for the maintenance and repair of
11roadside improvements under s. 84.04, state trunk highways under s. 84.07 and
12bridges that are not on the state trunk highway system under s. 84.10; for highway
13operations such as permit issuance, pavement marking, highway signing, traffic
14signalization and highway lighting under ss. 84.04, 84.07, 84.10 and 348.25 to 348.27
15and ch. 349; and, before
July 1, 1995 October 1, 1997, for the disadvantaged business
16demonstration and training program under s. 84.076. This paragraph does not apply
17to special maintenance activities under s. 84.04 on roadside improvements.
AB557-engrossed,25,319
20.395
(3) (ev)
Highway maintenance, repair and traffic operations, local
20funds. All moneys received from any local unit of government or other sources for
21the maintenance and repair of roadside improvements under s. 84.04, state trunk
22highways under s. 84.07 and bridges that are not on the state trunk highway system
23under s. 84.10; for signing under s. 86.195; for highway operations such as permit
24issuance, pavement marking, highway signing, traffic signalization and highway
25lighting under ss. 84.04, 84.07, 84.10 and 348.25 to 348.27 and ch. 349; and, before
1July 1, 1995 October 1, 1997, for the disadvantaged business demonstration and
2training program under s. 84.076; for such purposes. This paragraph does not apply
3to special maintenance activities under s. 84.04 on roadside improvements.
