Tony Bettack
After a dramatic showdown within the Republican majority in the state Senate, Wisconsin’s 76-billion-dollar budget is finally on its way to the governor’s desk. One item some local municipalities will be focused on is whether there will be funding included to complete the Highway 15 bypass in Hortonville. Outagamie County Highway Commissioner Dean Steingraber says the bypass is something that all stakeholders support.“The Town of Greenville, Town of Hortonia, Village of Hortonville, City of New London, but we also know it’s important to Manawa and Clintonville and all those communities to the west of New London and the north of New London. They come down through there to go to the Fox Valley.” Everything for the project is ready to go, including the land, the engineering and utilities. Even though the budget is passed, it could be a while before the governor reveals the budget’s details. “He could spread the less money across all projects in a smaller version of it. He could just go and fund certain ones and cut one or two of them out of there, but we’re hoping he keeps our project going forward.” Advocates of the bypass have seen the project delayed many times already, but Steingraber is hopeful in conversations he’s had with governor this year that the project will be funded. While nothing is given, he’s hoping residents and leaders keep the pressure on. Advocates have been pushing for this bypass project since the early 2000’s.