In a study presented at this weekend’s Wisconsin Economic Development Association Governor’s Conference, the Transportation Development Association reported that every dollar spent on the improvement of the state’s highway system would result in three dollars pumped into the state economy.

The TDA is a small nonprofit organization, comprised of contractors and businesses, that works to increase public awareness of transportation needs in the state, according to communications director Elizabeth Norweb.

“These investments will help the economy and will help the state,” Norweb said. “Increasing state highway investments alone could create 9,100 new jobs in the state.”

Norweb said the report was timed to coincide with the WEDA conference and designed to act as a reminder to government of the economic importance of transportation projects in light of assured budget cuts to every area of state spending.

Rep. David Ward, R-Fort Atkinson, said projects such as the rebuilding of the Marquette Interchange in Milwaukee were of obvious economic importance.

“We have to be careful not to cut programs vital to our economy,” Ward said. “If you can’t get in and out of the largest city in the state, the economy will be significantly handicapped.”

Norweb said the TDA report also showed the importance of allocating transportation funds responsibly.

“In a situation like the Marquette Interchange, we have a vested interest, because it could basically take up the entire transportation fund budget,” Norweb said.

According to Norweb, one of the other projects that should receive continued attention is the development of the Corridors 2020 project. The project is based on a state study recommending the renovation of highways, back roads and connector roads to create a central thoroughfare through Wisconsin from Janesville to Superior along with the expansion of public transportation.

“Already, a huge number of businesses have started building locations within the Corridors 2020 route,” Norweb said. “Businesses will set up where there are good roads and good transportation systems.

Ward said there was a definite correlation between transportation projects and the economy but said the projects were more of a necessity for commerce than an economic propellant. Ward said right now many small towns throughout the state want their two-lane highways expanded as part of Corridors 2020 to attract businesses.

Norweb said traffic congestion on roadways is detrimental to commerce in cities as well as on local, winding roads, and stressed road maintenance would insure travelers’ safety.

“If you’ve ever driven in Madison or Milwaukee during rush hour, you know how bad congestion can get,” Ward said.

Twenty-two million dollars of transportation fund money was a bone of contention last week as state legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance hammered out the details of Gov. Jim Doyle’s emergency budget bill before passing it onto a vote by the full legislature.

The dissenting members in a 12-4 Committee vote felt that the money should be taken from the state transportation fund and added to the general-spending fund in order to shrink the deficit for this fiscal year.

“The transportation fund just isn’t designed to do that,” Ward said.

Ward said all of state government was waiting anxiously for Doyle’s budget presentation this Tuesday. Ward said Doyle handing off his budget plan to the legislature is “when the rubber hits the road.”