9-7-17 budget includes funding to re-start highway 23 expansion project

WFDL news has learned a Highway 23 expansion project between Fond du Lac and Plymouth has been revived in the state budget.  Republican state senator Dan Feyen of Fond du Lac says more than $19 million is included in the transportation portion of the budget to re-start the project.  “…to get all the environmental studies up to snuff and get this process moving forward, and then in the next budget we’ll be able to finish this thing up and be able to drive on a brand new road hopefully in three to four years,”  Feyen said.  Earlier this year a three judge federal panel dismissed state officials’ efforts to obtain federal funding for the project.   An environmental group filed a lawsuit in 2011 to stop the project arguing the federal  government couldn’t release money because a federal environmental impact statement  was incomplete.   Feyen says the state is moving forward without federal assistance.  “The state chose not to appeal that ruling so we are re-doing some environmental studies to comply with what the court said was not accurate,”   Feyen said.    “The number one priority is the safety of our citizens.  There are too many people getting in accidents out there.”