Wis. Stat. § 13.489 — WI Code / Chapter 13 / Section 13.489
Section 13.489
Status: in_force

b. The report recommending approval of the project is accompanied by a financing proposal that, if implemented, would provide funding in an amount sufficient to ensure that construction will commence on all projects enumerated under s. 84.013 (3) and on the project within 6 years after the first July 1 after the date on which the commission recommends approval of the project and the commission has been notified that a draft environmental impact statement, draft environmental assessment, or draft categorical exclusion for the project has been approved by the department of transportation or, if necessary to secure federal funding, the federal highway administration.

2. In determining the commencement date for projects under subd. 1. a. and b. , the commission shall assume that the appropriation amounts under s. 20.395 (3) (bq) to (bx) for the current fiscal year will be adjusted annually to reflect adjustments to the U.S. consumer price index for all urban consumers, U.S. city average, as determined by the U.S. department of labor.

(b) The commission may include in the report in par. (a) its designation of highway improvement projects under s. 84.013 (6m) as major highway projects.

(c) No project may be enumerated under s. 84.013 (3) or approved under s. 84.013 (6) unless the commission recommends approval, with or without modifications, of the project under par. (a) or, with respect to a project under s. 84.013 (6m) , designates the project under par. (b) .

(d) This subsection does not apply to major highway projects described in s. 84.013 (1) (a) 2m.

(4m) Review of high-cost major highway projects.

(a) Notwithstanding sub. (4) , for any major highway project described in s. 84.013 (1) (a) 2m. , the department of transportation shall submit a report to the commission, prior to construction of the project, which report may request the commission’s approval to proceed with the project. The department may submit this request at any time following completion by the department of a draft environmental impact statement, draft environmental assessment, or draft categorical exclusion for the project.

(b) After receiving a request under par. (a) for approval to proceed with a major highway project described in s. 84.013 , the commission shall meet to approve, approve with modifications, or disapprove the request. The department may implement the request only as approved by the commission, including approval after modification by the commission.

(c) The department of transportation may not proceed with construction of a major highway project described in s. 84.013 (1) (a) 2m. unless the project is approved by the commission as provided in par. (b) .

(d) The procedures specified in this subsection shall apply to all major highway projects described in s. 84.013 (1) (a) 2m. in lieu of the procedures described in sub. (4) .

(5) Department to report project status and costs.

(a) By February 1, 2005, and every 6 months thereafter, the department of transportation shall submit to the commission and, under s. 13.172 (2) to the joint committee on finance, the joint legislative audit committee, and the standing committees of the legislature with jurisdiction over transportation matters a report that does all of the following:

1. Summarizes the current status of each project submitted by the department that is under consideration by the commission under this section, including any project approved by the commission under sub. (1m) (d) , and of each project enumerated under s. 84.013 (3) or 84.0145 (3) (b) or approved under s. 84.013 (6) .

2. For each project specified under subd. 1. , provides all of the following information:

a. All actual and estimated project costs, itemized by major cost categories, as of the date of preparation of the report. To the extent feasible, the department shall separately track and report the costs of environmental assessments, compliance, and mitigation.

b. The full project cost estimate, as established under sub. (3) (b) 2. , of the project as of the date of approval or, if the project is enumerated, enumeration.

c. The year in which the department expects to complete the project as of the date of approval or, if the project is enumerated, enumeration.

d. The full project cost estimate, as established under sub. (3) (b) 2. , of the project as of the date of preparation of the report.

e. The year in which the department expects to complete the project as of the date of preparation of the report.

f. An explanation of any difference between the full project cost estimates under subd. 2. b. and d. that has not been addressed in a previous report under this paragraph.

g. The opinion of the department as to whether the project will be completed as originally scheduled without the allocation of additional funds.

(am) The report under par. (a) shall treat separately and as described in the enumerating statute each project enumerated under s. 84.013 (3) or 84.0145 (3) (b) and shall treat separately each project approved under s. 84.013 (6) .

(b) All project information included in any report required under par. (a) shall be reported on both a cumulative basis from the inception of the project and on an updated basis for the period since the department’s last report under this subsection.

(c) With the report submitted under par. (a) , by February 1 of each year, the department of transportation shall include a current project schedule for all projects enumerated under s. 84.013 (3) or approved under s. 84.013 (6) , showing the annual funding required until completion for each project.

(6) Department to make information available. Notwithstanding s. 19.35 , the department of transportation shall make all of the following information available to the public, including making the information available at no charge on the department’s Internet site, within the following time periods:

(a) Any report prepared by the department for the commission under sub. (5) shall be available within 5 business days of the report’s completion and transmittal to the commission.

(b) Any materials or documents prepared by the department, except the department’s recommendations, for use at a meeting of the commission shall be available at least 2 business days prior to the meeting.

(c) Any other information directed by the commission to be made available by the department under this subsection shall be available within the time specified by the commission.

History: 1983 a. 27 ; 1985 a. 2 ; 1985 a. 29 ss. 27 to 29 , 3202 (51) ; 1987 a. 27 ; 1993 a. 16 ; 1997 a. 27 , 86 ; 1999 a. 9 ; 2003 a. 217 ; 2007 a. 20 ; 2011 a. 32 ; 2015 a. 55 , 196 ; 2017 a. 247 ; 2021 a. 240 s. 30 ; 2025 a. 110 .