84.106(1m)(1m) Designation. The department shall develop, implement, and administer a program to designate highways or portions of highways in this state, including, notwithstanding sub. (2), state trunk highways, connecting highways, and local highways, that have outstanding scenic, historic, cultural, natural, recreational, or archaeological qualities as scenic byways. The department may seek designation by the federal government of a highway designated as a scenic byway under this section as a national scenic byway or as an All-American Road.

84.106(2)(2) Rules. The department shall promulgate rules under this section consistent with 23 USC 162 and regulations established under that section.

84.106(3)(3) Marking highways. Highways designated as scenic byways under this section may be marked with signs conforming with the manual of uniform traffic control devices adopted by the department under s. 84.02 (4) (e) that identify the highway as a scenic byway. The department shall have exclusive authority to erect these signs, and shall bear all expense in connection with the erection and maintenance of the signs, on state trunk highways. The local authority with jurisdiction over the highway, for maintenance purposes, shall have exclusive authority to erect these signs, and shall bear all expense in connection with the erection and maintenance of the signs, on local highways and connecting highways.

84.107(1)(1) The department shall designate and mark as the “Great River Road” the route in Grant, Crawford, Vernon, La Crosse, Trempealeau, Buffalo, Pepin and Pierce counties commencing at the Wisconsin-Illinois border and proceeding northerly on STH 35 to its junction with STH 133; then proceeding westerly on STH 133 to its junction with CTH “VV” near Cassville; then proceeding northerly on CTH “VV” to its junction with CTH “A”; then proceeding westerly on CTH “A” to its junction with CTH “X” in Bagley; then proceeding northerly on CTH “X” to its junction with CTH “C”; then proceeding easterly on CTH “C” to its junction with STH 35, with all of the preceding highways in Grant County; then proceeding northerly on STH 35 to its junction with USH 14/61 in La Crosse County; then proceeding northerly on USH 14/61 to its junction with USH 53; then proceeding northerly on USH 53 to its junction with STH 35; then proceeding northerly on STH 35 to its junction with Business 35/CTH “HD” near Holmen; then proceeding northerly on Business 35/CTH “HD” to its junction with STH 35; then proceeding northerly on STH 35 to its junction with USH 10 in Pierce County; and then proceeding westerly on USH 10 to the Wisconsin-Minnesota border.

84.107(2)(2) If the department, after investigations and studies, finds that any proposed Great River Road development is advantageous to the state, it shall have full authority to perform, on behalf of the state, each and every duty required of the state, in order to secure and complete the proposed development project. For the purposes of such development projects, the Great River Road shall be a portion of the state trunk highway system.

84.11(1)(1) Definitions. In this section:

84.11(1g)(1g) Administration. The department shall administer the local bridge construction program and shall have all powers necessary and convenient to implement this section.

84.11(1m)(1m) Eligibility and project extent. Local bridges are eligible for construction under this section. Projects under this section include all approaches and embankments, acquisition of lands necessary for right-of-way or other purposes, and all other necessary appurtenances.

84.11(1r)(1r) Rules. The department shall promulgate rules to implement this section. The rules shall include criteria for selecting and evaluating projects which are eligible for construction under this section.

84.11(2)(2) Initiation of proceedings. Proceedings for the construction of a bridge project under sub. (1m) may be initiated by a petition filed with the department. The petition shall state that the petitioner desires such construction, and the approximate location thereof, and that, in the opinion of petitioner, the construction is necessary and is a bridge project eligible for construction under this section. The petition may be filed by any county, city, village or town. The petition shall be duly adopted by the governing body of the county, city, village or town, and a certified copy of the adopted petition shall be filed with the department.

84.11(3)(3) Hearing. Within 60 days of the receipt of a petition under sub. (2), the department shall fix a time and place for a hearing and give notice of the hearing by publication of a class 2 notice, under ch. 985, in the vicinity of the proposed bridge project. Notice shall also be given by registered letter addressed to the clerks of the counties, cities, villages and towns in which any part of the bridge project will be located. The notice shall also be given to the secretary of natural resources either by registered mail or personally. The hearing may be held in any county, city, village or town in which any part of the bridge project will be located.

84.11(4)(4) Finding, determination, and order. After such hearing the department shall make such investigation as it considers necessary in order to make a decision in the matter. If the department finds that the construction is necessary it shall determine the location of the project and whether the project is eligible for construction under this section. The department shall also determine the character and kind of bridge most suitable for such location and estimate separately the cost of the bridge portion and the entire project. The department shall make its finding, determination, and order, in writing, and file a certified copy thereof with the clerk of each county, city, village, and town in which any portion of the bridge project will be located and also with the secretary of state and the secretary of administration. The determination of the location of the project made by the department and set forth in its finding, determination, and order shall be conclusive as to such location and shall constitute full authority for laying out new streets or highways or for any relocations of highways made necessary for the construction of the project and for acquirement of any lands necessary for such streets or highways, relocation or construction. The estimate of cost made by the department shall be conclusive insofar as cost may determine eligibility of construction under this section.

84.11(5m)(5m) Apportionment of cost. The state shall pay one-third of the cost of projects constructed under sub. (1m), the county or counties in which the bridge project is located shall pay one-third, and the one or more cities, villages and towns in which any part of the bridge project is located shall pay one-third, except that to the extent discretionary federal aid for highways allocated to Wisconsin is used to finance any portion of the cost of the project, the portion of the cost to be borne by the state and any county, city, village or town, respectively, shall be proportionately reduced. The portion to be paid by the counties shall be borne equally by the counties in which the bridge project is located, except that no bridge project shall be considered as located within a county unless an entrance to the bridge proper is wholly or partly within the limits of that county. If a bridge project wholly within one county is located in more than one city, village or town, their respective portions of the cost shall be in proportion to their respective assessed valuations as last equalized by the county board prior to the date of the department’s finding, determination and order. If such cities, villages or towns are located in more than one county, the portion of the cost paid by all cities, villages and towns shall first be apportioned equally according to the number of counties, and then to the cities, villages and towns in each county in proportion to their respective assessed valuations as provided in this subsection.

84.11(5n)(5n) Design-build contracts.

84.11(5n)(b)(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section and ss. 84.01 (13) and 84.06 (2), the department may enter into a design-build contract for the design and construction of a bridge for which funding is provided under s. 84.11 (5), 1993 stats., and for which no contract for construction is awarded before May 1, 1999. The department may enter into a contract under this paragraph only if all of the following conditions are met: