Sen. Carpenter authors Wisconsin Senate bill mandating bikeways in highway projects

A new bill authored by State Sen. Tim Carpenter in the Wisconsin Senate seeks to make bikeways and pedestrian ways mandatory in most state and federally funded highway projects, according to the Wisconsin State Senate.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature’s official website, the bill was described as follows: “requiring bicycle and pedestrian facilities in highway projects and granting rule-making authority. (FE)”.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill mandates the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish bikeways and pedestrian ways in all new highway construction and reconstruction projects funded by state or federal funds, with certain exceptions. Previously, DOT was only required to consider such infrastructure, but this bill makes it compulsory unless specific criteria justify an exception. Exceptions include prohibitive costs exceeding 20% of the project cost, excessive negative impacts in constrained environments, lack of need reflected by sparse population or traffic, or if a community refuses to maintain pedestrian ways. DOT must develop rules detailing these exceptions, ensuring that a knowledgeable authority within the department reviews each case. The bill repeals previous provisions that limited bikeway and pedestrian way establishment based on municipal authorizations.

The bill was co-authored by Representative Lee Snodgrass (Democrat-52nd District), Senator Kristin Dassler-Alfheim (Democrat-18th District), Senator Dianne H. Hesselbein (Democrat-27th District), Senator LaTonya Johnson (Democrat-6th District), Senator Melissa Ratcliff (Democrat-16th District). It was co-sponsored by Representative Clinton M. Anderson (Democrat-45th District), Representative Deb Andraca (Democrat-23rd District), and Representative Mike Bare (Democrat-80th District), along 17 other co-sponsors.

Tim Carpenter has authored or co-authored another 54 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with all of them being adopted.

Carpenter graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1982 with a BA.

Carpenter, a Democrat, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2003 to represent the state’s 3rd Senate district, replacing previous state senator Brian Burke.

In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.