Dive Brief:
- A 10-year state audit of Wisconsin Department of Transportation projects through August 2016 found the agency miscalculated estimates for approximately 16 ongoing highway projects, causing budget overruns to date of nearly $3 billion, according to the Associated Press.
- Auditors said state estimators failed to include inflation as well as other expenditures in their estimates, resulting in almost double the costs.
- The results of the audit come on the heels of another state report that found the condition of Wisconsin's roads have worsened during the last five years and that they don't stack up when compared to other nearby states. In addition, according to the Associated Press, the DOT currently faces a $1 billion shortfall.
Dive Insight:
Some state lawmakers have pointed to the findings as a call for the state to take action to improve its deteriorating roads, while others have said the audit shows that Wisconsin should slow down and make sure projects already in progress are completed on budget.
State transportation departments across the country are struggling to come up with the funding necessary to pay for critical road and bridge projects. And as in Wisconsin, the fight often comes down to one of Democrat versus Republican.
Last summer, for example, Republican Gov. Chris Christie and state Democrats agreed on a gas tax hike to replenish the nearly drained Transportation Trust Fund but could not reach an accord on how counterbalance that increase for taxpayers.
After going a few rounds, Christie shut down all but the most critical highway projects — approximately $3.5 billion worth of projects — sending road crews home for about three months until Democrats and Christie reached an agreement in October. Highway contractors went back to work, but with winter approaching, affected companies and their employees were reportedly left questioning whether they could hold out financially until work picks up again in the spring.