Bicycling advocates are hoping to see a big financial boost for recreational trail development in Wisconsin.
That's due to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' proposed two-year state budget, which recommends spending about $18 million a year on trails. Most of that would be new money, from the federal bipartisan infrastructure law.
Typically, only about $7 million per year goes into Wisconsin walking and biking trails, under what's called the Transportation Alternatives Program. The rest of a $17.5 million pot of transportation money is usually diverted to roads.
Brian Housh, midwest policy manager of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, explains the budget math to WUWM's Chuck Quirmbach.
This month, Housh teamed with the Trek Bicycle Corporation and the Wisconsin Bike Fed to lobby the Republican-controlled state Legislature to support the governor's plan.
Housh also says he backs an Evers proposal to financially help small communities with trail development, through a matching funds program. And, he likes an Evers proposal to spend $60 million on so-called traffic calming projects that, he says. would help bikers and pedestrians in urban areas.