Democrats Seek To Use Road-Funding Plans As Tool In Governor Race

Wisconsin Democrats are hitting the road the next two months in a bid to make road-funding projects a major issue in this fall’s gubernatorial campaign. Party leaders began the effort in Green Bay on Friday.

Martha Lanning, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, was in Green Bay to kick off a “Fix Our Roads” tour that will go around the state, including stops in Milwaukee, Madison, La Crosse and Eau Claire through September. The tour is meant to highlight what she described as the declining state of the Wisconsin’s roads, bridges and other transportation infrastructure.

Democrats are using the politically charged term “Scott Holes” — rather than potholes — which pock mark many highways and city streets around the state. The rhetoric is an attempt to tie the roadway conditions to Gov. Scott Walker.

“When I drive over a bridge, unconsciously, I am thinking, ‘What would I do if all of a sudden, if something happened to this bridge?’” Lanning said.

Green Bay’s Leo Frigo Bridge was closed for several months in 2013 after supports caused it to sag.

“Those are things that nobody should have to worry about. We need to know our roads are safe,” she said.

Lanning criticized the Walker administration for spending $90 million to improve roads in Racine County for the new Foxconn facility instead of spending the money on other projects around Wisconsin.

Alec Zimmerman, the communications director for the Republican Party of Wisconsin, issued a statement rejecting Lanning and other Democrats’ claims.

“Scott Walker has invested $3 billion more into transportation than his predecessor in the same amount of time and invested over $20 billion into our transportation system statewide,” he wrote.

Newly elected state Sen. Caleb Frostman represents Wisconsin’s 1st Senate District and said road funding is a bipartisan issue. His district includes the popular tourist destination of Door County and other Lake Michigan shore communities.

“Folks from across the political spectrum are frustrated with the lack of funding coming to our roads and bridges,” he said.

Frostman said the issue affects all sorts of businesses.

“Our manufacturers, our agricultural concerns, and then for me, a big part of my district has a lot of tourism,” he said.

Democrats say they plan to make investment in infrastructure a big part of this fall’s gubernatorial and midterm elections.