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Transportation Economic Assistance (TEA)
Celebrating 25 years of TEA grants!

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is proud to mark the 25th Anniversary of its Transportation Economic Assistance (TEA) grant program this September. TEA grants cover up to 50% of project costs for road, rail, harbor and airport projects that help attract employers to Wisconsin, or encourage business and industry to remain and expand in the state.

Program history

Governor Tommy Thompson announced the first TEA grant on September 8, 1987. In a news release, Thompson said, “We created the new Transportation Economic Assistance program to allow the state to move more quickly to help communities make transportation improvements when the opportunity for new jobs hangs in the balance.”

That first TEA grant went to the city of La Crosse in the amount of $1.4 million. It allowed what was then Gateway Foods, now Reinhart Foodservice, to add 300 new employees. In addition, more than 540 indirect jobs resulted from the construction of a new access road for Gateway Foods and other expanding industries.

Since 1987, WisDOT has invested more than $87 million in TEA grants – benefiting 320 projects around the state. Those projects created or retained more than 75,000 direct and indirect jobs.

• TEA Program Projects 1987-2012
• Map of TEA grant recipients

TEA testimonies

In 2007, the village of Denmark was awarded a $94,750 Transportation Economic Assistance (TEA) grant from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. It covered half the construction costs of a new road to serve Salm Partners. Watch and see how the TEA grant is benefiting more than just one company in Denmark.

• Village of Denmark video (mediasite) (2:57)

The city of Ladysmith received a $300,000 Transportation Economic Assistance (TEA) grant in 2009 from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. It covered nearly half the construction costs of a new rail spur to serve Indeck Ladysmith LLC. Check out how the TEA grant is helping stimulate one of the state’s most economically-challenged counties.

• City of Ladysmith video (mediasite) (3:09)

Additional information

• 25th Anniversary news release

Please see WisDOT's TEA web page for information about applying for grants.

• Frequently asked questions

Dennis Leong
Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Division of Transportation Investment Management
4802 Sheboygan Avenue Room 901
P.O. Box 7913
Madison, Wisconsin 53707-7913
Phone:  (608) 266-9910
Fax:  (608) 267-0294
Email:  dennis.leong@dot.wi.gov

You will need Microsoft Word to view Word files. If you do not have a copy of Microsoft Word installed on your computer, you can use the Microsoft Word Viewer (provided free of charge) to view Word files. For more information about getting your free copy of Microsoft Word Viewer, visit WisDOT's Software information page.

You will need the Adobe Reader (provided free of charge) to view PDF files. For more information about getting your free copy of the Adobe Reader, visit WisDOT's Software information page.

You will need a video player (provided free of charge) to view our video files. For more information about getting a free video player, visit WisDOT's Software information page.

You will need an MP3 player (provided free of charge) to listen to our audio files. For more information about getting a free MP3 player, visit WisDOT's Software information page.

Questions about the content of this page:
Dennis Leong, dennis.leong@dot.wi.gov
Last modified: September 11, 2012