Life of a highway project

Phase 1

Improvement information

Life of a highway project

Strong highway connections drive Wisconsin’s economy. To ensure Wisconsin's transportation network meets personal and business needs it is also necessary to develop strong connections between WisDOT and the state's citizens.

WisDOT welcomes public comments and seeks to work in partnership with citizens and communities to develop a safe, efficient transportation system. A highway project, from concept through construction, is a complex process that involves time, money, expertise in many areas and citizen involvement.

The process of constructing a highway consists of six phases. Communication between citizens and WisDOT is essential at every point in the process. Depending on a project’s complexity, it may take one to six years (or longer) for a highway project to move from concept through construction.

Each year WisDOT completes 350 to 400 state highway projects, costing an average of $1.5 million each. In addition, WisDOT returns more than $500 million to local governments to help finance the operation and improvement of locally-owned roads, streets and bridges.

Close-up photo of road surface.