Gov. Jim Doyle's list of 1,800 infrastructure projects that could use an injection of federal money includes a few projects slated for the Sauk County area.
Those and other projects have the potential to bring jobs to the area and benefit the local economy, but they would not help plug gaps in a state budget facing a projected $5.4 billion deficit, a Doyle spokesman said Tuesday.
Doyle's wish list includes $570,000 that would extend the runway at the Baraboo-Dells Airport, which would allow Leer jets to land. That project is part of $664 million worth of statewide potential long-term airport upgrades identified by Doyle, but not part of the $24.5 million in airport projects Doyle says could get going within four months.
The Baraboo airport's current runway is 4,780 feet, which is less than the 5,000-foot strip needed by larger aircraft. Extending the runway is part of the airport's six-year capital plan required by the state's Bureau of Aeronautics.
"We can't take some of the larger business jets into the area, because of that length," said Baraboo City Administrator Ed Geick. "It would help economically to have that longer runway ... That would be a useful thing for the entire area — not only for business, but also for pleasure jets coming in."
Major railroad corridor improvements included on Doyle's list mainly focus on a line from Madison to Milwaukee. But moving forward on those projects could mean more support for developing high-speed rail along a passenger line that already makes stops in Wisconsin Dells and Portage, said incoming state Rep. Fred Clark, D-Baraboo.
"Seeing those kinds of improvements is — in my opinion — a good sign, because it's going to put us in a position of being one step closer to developing that corridor from Chicago to Minneapolis," Clark said. "That's a plan that's got broad support that is really going to need an investment to make it happen."
Amtrak currently runs one train a day along that corridor, Clark said. "But it's relatively slow and its on-time record is not really good for a commuter or somebody who's got a tight schedule," he said.
Clark said $3.1 million included on Doyle's list to widen the State Highway 12 bridge over Dell Creek has the potential to bring jobs and money to the area. Although the project would be bid by the state Department of Transportation and might not be awarded to a local firm, workers on the project would spend money locally, he said.
Clark said he'll be following up with local school districts to see if they have capital projects that could be included in $1.9 billion of education spending on Doyle's list.
About half that education money would go toward projects at the University of Wisconsin System. But none of it would benefit the UW-Baraboo/Sauk County campus.
UWBSC Dean Tom Pleger said college campus projects on Doyle's list are mainly for four-year campuses that are state-owned, whereas the Baraboo campus is owned by the City of Baraboo and Sauk County.
Pleger said the two-year university could benefit from federal funding for an environmentally sound dorm and conference center, which school officials are trying to pay for without help from the city or county.
A University of Wisconsin System spokesman could not be reached for comment.
Obama's economic team asked governors to provide lists of projects that could be started immediately with federal aid. In response, Doyle produced a list that includes $3.74 billion in projects that could start within four months and $10 billion for projects that could get started later.
Doyle's list — which includes projects in the categories of transportation, education, "green" energy, Great Lakes, health care and economic development — would help get people to work and improve the state's infrastructure. "But it doesn't really close the budget gap that we're facing because of the recession," said Doyle spokesman Lee Sensenbrenner.
Because infrastructure projects are generally paid for through long-term borrowing, federal aid wouldn't help plug the holes that exist in the state budget deficit expected over the next two years, Sensenbrenner said.
Governors are asking Congress to provide a stimulus package to deal with budget deficits and one proposal being discussed would send state governments $500 billion over two years, the Associated Press reported last week.
Repairs to the Mirror Lake dam are also included on Doyle's project list.
The Sauk County Board approved a resolution Tuesday night in support of Obama's plan to invest in public infrastructure.
At a glance
Doyle's list of infrastructure projects
Within 120 days Long-term
Transportation $630.7 million $6.97 billion
Education $1.06 billion $832 million
Great Lakes $772.5 million $330.8 million
Green energy $993.3 million $1.27 billion
Health care $236.8 million $574.8 million
Economic stimulus $45 million $65 million
Total $3.74 billion $10.04 billion
Local projects on Doyle's list:
• $570,000 to extend the Baraboo airport runway
• $3.1 million for widening the US 12 bridge over Dell Creek
• Repairs to the Mirror Lake dam (no amount specified)
SOURCE:
Governor Doyle's Potential Infrastructure Projects list