MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), on Sep 12th, announced the annual payment of over $2.1 million to help maintain Wisconsin’s nine lift bridges along Lake Michigan. 

“Wisconsin’s lift bridges are vital to our state’s economy, ensuring that oceangoing ships can access our port cities, opening global markets to our manufacturers, agricultural producers, and many other businesses,” said Gov. Evers. “These grants will help maintain our bridges and ensure our ports are secure and reliable, all while strengthening Wisconsin ports that generate thousands of family-supporting jobs, support our industries from agriculture to tourism, and help our businesses reach markets worldwide.”

Wisconsin’s lift bridges raise a section of roadway vertically, allowing passage of taller ships in the cities of Green Bay, Manitowoc, Milwaukee, and Racine. Oceangoing vessels have access to these ports via the St. Lawrence Seaway. Bascule bridges, which are sometimes called drawbridges, tip up two sections of the roadway on pivots.

The nine bridges and payments are as follows:

• Main St. in Green Bay – $311,403.59;
• 8th St. in Manitowoc – $173,424.34;
• 10th St. in Manitowoc – $26,202.16;
• Broadway St. in Milwaukee – $308,053.82;
• Kinnickinnic and 1st St. in Milwaukee – $453,458.54;
• State St. in Milwaukee – $245,181.89;
• Wells St. in Milwaukee – $34,785.75;
• Main St. in Racine – $377,592.07; and
• State St. in Racine – $255,837.50

Gov. Evers has made fixing Wisconsin’s roads a top priority, and the Evers Administration has improved more than 7,400 miles of road and 1,780 bridges since 2019, including over 900 miles of road and over 200 bridges in 2023 alone. Additional information on the Evers Administration’s efforts, including additional support from the Biden-Harris Administration, to fix roads and bridges in rural areas and communities, expand transportation alternatives, and modernize Wisconsin’s infrastructure, including supporting lead service line replacement projects and building out electric vehicle charging is available here.