For the City Times

MADISON – The Wisconsin Department of Transportation distributed $320,600 to 24 counties to maintain and improve public roads in county forests, including Clark, Marathon, and Wood.

In 2020, funding from the state’s County Forest Road Aids program will help improve more than 900 miles of public roads within county forests. These roads enable counties to manage their forest resources and allow the public to explore the forests for wildlife viewing and many other sporting activities.

To qualify for the state funding, roads must meet minimum design standards of a 16-foot surface width and a 20-foot roadway width; be located within county forests; be open and used for travel; and cannot be town roads, county or state highways.

County Forest Road Aids are separate from the larger General Transportation Aids (GTA) program. GTA provides funding to local governments from state-collected transportation revenues – fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees – helping offset the cost of county and municipal road construction, maintenance, traffic and other transportation-related costs.

Clark County was allotted $16,138.98 for 45.98 eligible miles; Marathon County received $2,274.48 for 6.48 miles; and Wood County was allocated $3,653.91 for 10.41 miles.