Assembly Bill 822 aims to enhance the administration of the Local Roads Improvement Program (LRIP) in Wisconsin by establishing new committees and revising existing regulations. The bill mandates the creation of a statewide town road improvement committee, composed of 15 members appointed by the Department of Transportation (DOT), primarily consisting of town officials. This committee will set criteria for selecting town road improvements and recommend projects for funding. Additionally, county-level town road improvement committees will be formed to rank projects for funding requests, while regional committees will oversee project rankings within specific geographic areas. The bill also introduces a series of deadlines for application submissions and project selections to streamline the funding process.

Furthermore, the bill modifies eligibility criteria for improvements under LRIP by removing limitations on double seal coat projects and clarifying that the DOT cannot make generalized assumptions about the design life of projects. It prohibits counties from contracting for improvements if they prepared the cost estimates and imposes penalties for violations, including a two-year ban on contracting for LRIP projects. The bill also includes new definitions and procedural requirements to ensure transparency and accountability in the funding process, ultimately aiming to improve the quality and efficiency of local road improvements across Wisconsin.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 86.31(1)(b), 86.31, 86.31(2)(b), 86.31(2)(e), 86.31(2)(h)