Tom Petri: Loves The Pork

6th District US Rep. Tom Petri was among three congressional Republicans offering Scott Walker cover the other day with a proposed bill to allow Walker to return rejected federal high-speed rail money for deficit reduction.

The implication: Petri is one of those deficit-and-spending-hawks.

But log on to Petri's home page and you find that he just loved the current federal transportation bill because:

"As a senior Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, ensuring adequate and sound investment in our transportation systems is a major priority for Rep. Petri. On a national level, he has been committed to enacting policies that address federal needs such as ensuring efficient movement of freight in interstate commerce and modernizing our antiquated air traffic control system to reduce delays at airports and in the skies. On a local level, he has successfully worked over many years to lift Wisconsin out of a donor state status in terms of federal highway aid by ensuring that Wisconsin receives back its fair share of federal transportation funds."

And did he bring home the bacon:

Some highlights:

"SAFETEA-LU [the recent federal bill] was a major win for Wisconsin. The State will receive a 30 percent increase in highway funds over the previous authorization period. Wisconsin will receive an average of $712 million per year in federal highway funds, compared to $546 million on average previously. In addition, the State's rate of return (federal highway dollars received compared to federal gas taxes sent to Washington) remains positive and is expected to average 1.06 over the life of the bill.
Other highlights of SAFETEA-LU include:

Highways
 
Statewide Highway Funding:

• SAFETEA-LU -- Wisconsin's formula highway funds will increase over 30% over TEA 21 levels. Wisconsin will receive an average of $711.9 million per year in formula highway funding. Average rate of return is 1.06
• TEA 21 (1998-2003) -- Wisconsin received average of $546 million per year in formula highway funding. Average rate of return was 1.02

Highway Projects in 6th District:

• $28 million - Construct Lake Butte des Morts Bridge, U.S. Highway 41, Winnebago County, WI
• $24 million - Expand STH 23, County Highway OJ to U.S. Highway 41, WI
• $10 million - Replace Wisconsin Street Bridge (STH 44), Oshkosh, WI
• $13 million - Reconstruct U.S. Highway 41 North of Lake Butte des Morts Bridge, WI
• $ 5 million - Pioneer Road Rail Grade Separation, Fond du Lac, WI (note: Senator Kohl added $1 million - total of $6 million)
• $ 6 million - Replace 17th Street Lift Bridge, Two Rivers, WI (note: Senator Kohl added $2 million - total of $8 million)
• $ 4 million - Recondition STH 16 from Columbus to STH 26, Dodge County, WI
• $ 4 million - Expand USH 45 between CTH G and Winchester, Winnebago County, WI
• $ 3 million - Construct U.S. Highway 151 between CTH D and STH 175, Fond du Lac County, WI
• $ 1 million - Improve Superior Avenue: Interstate 43 to State Highway 32, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin
• $ 1 million - Reconstruct US Highway 41 - STH 67 interchange (Dodge County, WI)
• $ 350,000 - Construct North Shore Extension of Friendship State Trail, Calumet and Winnebago Counties, Wisconsin

U.S. Highway 41 - $30 million above formula

• Designates as future Interstate (to be called I-41) U.S. 41 between Milwaukee (near I-94 via I-894 and Hwy. 45) and Green Bay (near I-43). This means the route will be designated as an Interstate if brought up to standards within 25 years.
• Includes additional $30 million in funding from the National Corridor Infrastructure Improvement Program for improvements to U.S. Highway 41 Corridor between Milwaukee and Green Bay."