A select joint committee discussed the future transportation needs of Wisconsin, holding a public hearing Thursday.

The Road to the Future Committee was created in March to address potential funding problems facing the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

"The hearings today were consistent with phase one of the committee — to assess the needs of the system," said Bob Cook, executive director of the Transportation Development Association.

Co-chair of the committee, Rep. Mark Gottlieb, R-Port Washington, was present at the hearing to listen to testimony from citizens regarding the transportation needs of Dane County.

He said this hearing was one of five that will take place throughout the state, adding the cities to hold future hearings include Eau Claire, Janesville, Neenah and Milwaukee.

"In general, we're following a process trying to emphasize needs of the system and identifying what funding options are available in the future," Gottlieb said.

He noted that the City of Madison Planning and Engineering staff expressed several concerns regarding serious transportation needs for Dane County in the near future.

Other concerns included freight capacity, traffic congestion and the transportation demands of rural areas, Gottlieb added.

Cook said the committee was formed to address funding problems that arose within the DOT last month due to budget decisions made by Gov. Jim Doyle.

"In the last two budgets Gov. Doyle has transferred $1 billion in gas tax and registration-fee money to the general fund," Cook said.

Because most of the transportation funding comes from these sources, there could be a lack of funds available in the future, he added.

But many state officials say there is not a looming transportation financial crisis.

And in a previous interview last week, Doyle's office expressed a differing view, saying there is no problem with the way the state funds were handled.

"One of the choices [Doyle] had to make was using some of the surplus money in the transportation fund to support education," Doyle spokesperson Dan Leistikow said.

In addition, DOT Secretary Frank Busalacchi said previous statements made about the department's financial situation were overblown.

"Paying for future transportation projects is an issue, but there's been some misunderstanding to a recent statement attributed to me," DOT Secretary Frank Busalacchi said in an e-mail last week. "There is certainly no 'crisis.'"

However, according to Cook, the budget will not be able to accommodate the increasing demand in transportation.

"Vehicle miles traveled are growing, freight traffic is growing and truck traffic will double by 2020," Cook noted. "There is stagnant revenue supply for a significant increase in demand."

Although the committee is currently determining specific transportation needs in Wisconsin, it will have to address possible long-term solutions to funding problems if demand is significantly greater in the future.

Cook said a failure to complete projects due to a lack of funding could jeopardize safety and lead to congestion.

A current proposal to increase southeast Wisconsin highways from three to four lanes would reduce fatalities, but would probably necessitate an increase in funding, he said.

"Funding solutions include tolls, future increase in gas tax, and shifting sales tax from new-car sales to the general transportation fund," Cook said.

Cook believes that the best way to fund the system is through road user fees, similar to the gas tax.

"People accept the fact that when they use [the highway] and drive more miles they should pay more," he said.

Although implementing a toll system would not be popular among residents, it may be discussed as a potential solution, Cook and Gottlieb emphasized.

"I'm sure when we talk about options that a toll system is going to be talked about," Gottlieb said.

Doyle's approval of $3.6 million in state funds for street improvement projects Thursday shows that funding allocation is going on without any problems, said Janice Watzke of the DOT Bureau of Transit.

The committee will continue to address solutions in its next phase following the completion of the other four public hearings scheduled. A public hearing in Eau Claire is scheduled for Tuesday.