March 25, 2003

The EagleHerald

P.O. Box 77

Marinette, WI 54143

715-735-6611 or 1-800-777-0345

Fax: 715-735-0229

No email given for this paper.

Marinette, Wisconsin - Marinette County is one of 24 counties that will receive payments to maintain public roads within forests.

According to information from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Gov. Jim Doyle has released approximately $292 thousand in Forest Road Aids from the state Department of Transportation to maintain and improve 871.58 miles of public roads.

Marinette County will receive the largest portion of that money, approximately $75,317.

"These funds will help defray county costs associated with improving and maintaining public roads within county forests," said Doyle. "It's yet another way the state partners with local governments on efforts that enhance our transportation system and overall quality of life."

According to the release, counties received $336 per mile of qualifying road. To qualify, roads must meet design standards of a 16-foot surface width and a 20-foot roadway width, be located within county forests, must be open and used for travel, and not town roads or county or state trunk highways.

Forest Administrator John Neilio, said that the funds will we used to maintain a number of miles of roads in the county.

"We have 225 miles of county forest roads, and that's what we get the money for, maintenance of those roads," said Neilio. "We have more county forest roads than any other county. With the logging activity in the county it's a constant, all summer job."

He added that the Forest Road Aids that the county receives cover the entire cost of maintaining the roads.

"We have a grader that goes around and grades the roads, on a regular routine twice a year, plus specific bad spots as needed. And then we have a crew of five guys with construction equipment," said Neilio. "And we go out and maintain those roads all summer long."

The roads that will benefit from the road aids are public roads, but for the most part are used as logging roads.

"They are county forest roads, that is a public status. The specifications are equal to a town road as far as the width goes. They are not hard surfaced," said Neilio adding that the roads are mostly gravel and dirt roads. "There are some that are still somewhat sandy, but they are maintained here and there."

Two counties bordering Marinette, Oconto and Florence, also received Forest Road Aids, but they were significantly less amounts.

Oconto County received approximately $9,532 in road aids, and Florence County received approximately $11,407 in road aids.

Other sizable road aids went to Douglas County, who received $11,407, and Washburn County, who received $31,631.

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