County Forest Roads to Receive Boost from State Funding
Vilas and Oneida counties will receive more than $30,000 in state funds to support county forest roads within the two counties. In Vilas, there are 50.07 eligible miles to benefit from the funds, and 38.85 eligible miles in Oneida.
“I’m proud we’re continuing our work to fix the darn roads across our state, including critical roads in our rural areas that help support our forestry and outdoor recreation industries, bolster our rural communities and economies, and help make sure folks can get from Point A to Point B safely,” said Gov. Tony Evers. “These investments help make sure we can keep building upon this important work, ensuring our rural communities and the industries that support them have the safe, reliable 21st-century infrastructure they need to transport goods, welcome visitors, and be successful.”
According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), each year county forests generate approximately $40 to 50 million in timber revenues across the state, resulting in approximately 16,000 jobs and $4.6 billion in forest products production.
Additionally, Wisconsin County forests also provide abundant recreational and tourism opportunities for residents and visitors to the state alike, including more than 9,100 miles of managed snowmobile trails, 1,700 miles of managed ATV trails, 460 miles of cross-country skiing trails, 400 miles of horse trails, 400 miles of bicycle trails, two National Scenic Trails, and thousands of miles of forest roads, along with a wealth of hunting and fishing opportunities.
Maintaining these roads ensures outdoor recreationists can safely and securely access these resources, ultimately bolstering the state’s more than $11.2 billion outdoor economy.
Vilas County was awarded just more than $17,000, while Oneida received $13,300.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) administers the state’s County Forest Road Aids program, which was established to help Wisconsin’s counties pay for the improvement and maintenance of public roads within county forests. To qualify for state funding under the County Forest Road Aids program, roads must have at least a 16-foot surface width and a 20-foot roadway width, be located within county forests, be part of a comprehensive county forest land-use plan, and be open and used for travel. The road cannot be a state highway, county trunk highway, or town road and cannot be part of the larger General Transportation Aids program.
“Since Gov. Evers took office, WisDOT has improved more than 8,600 miles of road and more than 2,000 bridges in every corner of our state,” said DOT Secretary Kristina Boardman. “Our local roads are the first and last mile of nearly every trip made by Wisconsin’s residents and visitors. A safe and efficient network of local roads is critical to the strength of our economy and quality of life.”
Gov. Evers’ 2025-27 Executive Budget includes continued investments in the County Forest Road Aids Program. In his budget, Evers is proposing a 3% increase in funding in each year over the biennium, representing an increase of over $30,000, so the program can continue to support critical transportation infrastructure improvements across the state.
Across the state, $320,600 in funding is anticipated to support improvement of more than 930 miles of county forest roads in 24 counties.
