2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-4276/1
EVM:cdc
September 19, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives Tranel, Hurd, VanderMeer, Behnke, Brill, Dittrich, Goodwin, Green, Gundrum, Knodl, Kreibich, Miresse, Murphy, Mursau, Novak, O'Connor, Penterman, Sortwell, Spiros, Stroud, Wichgers and Anderson, cosponsored by Senators Marklein, Feyen, Jacque, Jagler, Nass, Spreitzer, Testin, Tomczyk and Wimberger. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
AB439,1,3
1An Act to renumber and amend 86.31 (3o) (b) 4.; to create 86.31 (3o) (b) 4. c. 2of the statutes; relating to: eligibility of a highway for an agricultural roads
3improvement program grant. Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, the Department of Transportation administers an agricultural roads improvement program (ARIP) under which DOT provides grants to political subdivisions for projects to improve certain highway facilities that facilitate access to agricultural lands. Among the current eligibility criteria for projects under this program is a requirement that the highway have a demonstrated level of insufficiency for agricultural traffic. Currently, this may be demonstrated either by the highway having been designated as a class “B” highway due to structural deficiencies or having been subject to a posted weight limitation for at least one month during the previous year.
This bill adds an additional option for demonstrating insufficiency. Namely, under the bill, the requirement is satisfied if an engineering analysis performed by a registered professional engineer indicates that the highway is unable to accommodate heavy agricultural traffic.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
AB439,1
1Section 1. 86.31 (3o) (b) 4. of the statutes is renumbered 86.31 (3o) (b) 4. 2(intro.) and amended to read: AB439,2,4386.31 (3o) (b) 4. (intro.) The Any of the following applies to the highway under 4subd. 1. or the highway upon which the bridge or culvert under subd. 1. is located: AB439,2,65a. The highway is designated as a class “B” highway under s. 349.15 due to 6structural deficiencies or. AB439,2,87b. The highway has been subject to a posted weight limitation for at least one 8month during the previous year. AB439,29Section 2. 86.31 (3o) (b) 4. c. of the statutes is created to read: AB439,2,121086.31 (3o) (b) 4. c. An engineering analysis performed by a registered 11professional engineer indicates that the highway is unable to accommodate heavy 12agricultural traffic.
