The executive director of the group 1000 Friends of Wisconsin says he believes the state DOT cooked the books on projected Highway 23 traffic counts to curry a political favor. Steve Hiniker made the comment on AM 1170 WFDL’s Between the Lines program two months after a federal judge halted the project until the DOT could justify traffic and population projections. “What we’re looking into is why is it that Highway 23 which actually has an above average safety rate for roads that are comparable to it, why is it being selected for this expansion and why is so little being done on other roads that have safety problems across the state that are more severe?” Hiniker’s group filed the lawsuit several years ago arguing the project to expand 23 to four lanes between Plymouth and Fond du Lac was unnecessary and that less expensive safety alternatives could be done. Hiniker says the DOT has been tight lipped about their response to the judge’s order other than to say they are still working on a response. The Fond du Lac County Board recently went on record in support of the expansion project. County officials say the project is still at least two years out because of the lawsuit and now because of transportation cuts in the state budget.
