Last week, Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced an investment of $100 million for 55 projects to assist with fixing and upgrading local roads that support Wisconsin’s farmers and producers, as well as statewide agricultural and forestry industries throughout the state. Two of those projects are in Pierce County.

The Village of Ellsworth will receive an Agricultural Roads Improvement Program (ARIP) grant totaling $1,795,875, which will be used to fund the reconstruction of streets, sidewalks, curb and gutter, and stormwater systems on Wall and Morse streets. This project also includes plans for water and sewer upgrades, along with the addition of new streetscaping. Additionally, the village is exploring further funding and grant opportunities to expand the project to include Broadway Street.

Ellsworth Creamery CEO Kevin Pieh is grateful for the investment in Ellsworth’s infrastructure. Morse Street runs past the creamery in Ellsworth’s East End.

“Strong roads are vital to supporting agriculture-related businesses like ours, and we’re thankful for the emphasis placed on the importance of rural communities and the agricultural industry,” Pieh said. “This project highlights the power of community partnerships and ensures continued growth and opportunity for Ellsworth.”

Projects receiving funding are focused on improving rural roads and culverts that are critical to moving and transporting agricultural and forestry products efficiently and effectively across the state. Wisconsin’s agricultural industry has a more than $116 billion economic impact that supports nearly 354,000 jobs, according to a news release from the governor’s office.

"Receiving this grant is a significant win for Ellsworth,” said Village President Becky Beissel. “The improvements to Wall, Morse, and potentially Broadway streets will strengthen our infrastructure, support local businesses, and enhance transportation for our agricultural community. This investment paves the way for a brighter future in the East End Business District."

The Town of Gilman will receive $2,805,650.24 which will go toward the complete reconstruction of 850^th Avenue from County Road BB to County B, including a new bridge and culverts. This is a huge win for the township.

“The construction process will create a strong enough base so this section of 850th will no longer have weight restrictions in the spring,” said Supervisor Mike Traynor.

The township will be responsible for $345,094.98, which is 12.3 percent of the estimated total project cost, Traynor added.

“This heavily traveled section of town road is structurally deficient and functionally obsolete,” he said. “There are multiple businesses that use this route on a regular basis as well as a large number of passenger vehicles. The road base and surface do not meet minimum standards for a roadway with this much traffic.”

Construction on the project is expected to begin in Spring 2026. Drivers can expect road closures and detours around that section of roadway. Residents should be able to access their homes throughout construction but may at times encounter rough surfaces.

Created and funded by Gov. Evers as part of the 2023-25 biennial budget, this is the second round of Agricultural Roads Improvement Program (ARIP) award announcements. The governor previously announced the first round of grants in July.
“It’s exceedingly important to have good roads and infrastructure, which not only ensure Wisconsinites can get from Point A to Point B safely but also make sure our farmers and agricultural industries can get products to market to put food on the tables of families the world over,” said Gov. Evers. “Contributing a combined $116.3 billion in economic impact and supporting nearly 354,000 jobs across the state, Wisconsin’s agriculture and food processing sectors are a critical part of our state’s history and our future. We must continue investing in repairing and fixing our roads and modernizing our infrastructure to support our farmers, agricultural industries, and rural communities across our state.”
In June 2023, Gov. Evers signed 2023 Wisconsin Act 13 to expand the Local Roads Improvement Program to include agricultural road improvement projects by creating the ARIP. Weeks later, in July 2023, Gov. Evers signed the 2023-25 biennial budget, which provided $150 million for ARIP to improve the transportation infrastructure that provides access to agricultural lands or facilities. ARIP funds up to 90 percent of total eligible project costs, with the remaining balance covered by the local project sponsor.
In the second ARIP project solicitation, 220 applications were received, totaling more than $370 million in requested project funding. Of these 220 applications, 74 were previously submitted for funding consideration in the first ARIP project solicitation, and 146 were new applications. Over both solicitation periods, WisDOT received 299 unique ARIP applications, reflecting $507 million in project costs, highlighting the increased statewide demand and interest in the program.
“The number of applications received clearly demonstrates the need for this program,” said WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman. “ARIP funding is specifically targeted toward fixing roads and culverts in our rural communities. WisDOT is proud to support these improvements so our agricultural industries can safely and efficiently get products from point A to point B.”
Awarded projects from both ARIP solicitations support improvements to routes where more than 15 million tons of agricultural products, valued at over $12 billion, are transported every year.
ARIP is a reimbursement program, which may pay up to a maximum of 90 percent of total eligible project costs, with the balance of the eligible costs funded by the local government where the work is performed, the news release states.