The Wisconsin Department of Transportation says the first phase of expanding Highway 23 to four lanes between Fond du Lac and Plymouth will not take place this year. The project was put on hold last month after a federal judge ruled the DOT used inflated traffic forecasts to justify the project. The $10 million first phase involved a seven mile stretch of road between Plymouth and the Sheboygan-FDL County line. But Fond du lac state representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt says he received a letter from the DOT that the project is on hold until the lawsuit is settled…and that re-letting the project next year is dependent on the state budget. “Its not going to happen this year and the way the wheels turn in the judicial system, pretty slowly, I have my doubts for next year also,” Thiesfeldt told AM 1170 WFDL’s Between the Lines program. DOT Assistant Deputy Secretary Tom Rhatican said in the letter to area legislators if the Transportation budget is reduced by $500 million, DOT anticipates a one year delay in the Highway 23 project. Meanwhile Fond du Lac County Highway commissioner Tom Janke says the Highway and Airport committee will consider a resolution at their meeting Thursday supporting the project. “Our hope is just so they know obviously we are still for this, we want this project to go,” Janke told WFDL news.
