Baldwin Secures $15 Million to Improve Highway Safety and Expand Truck Parking Along I-41 in Dodge County

WISCONSIN - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) announced she successfully secured $15 million in federal funding to boost highway safety, improve two rest areas, and expand truck parking along Interstate 41 in Dodge County. Senator Baldwin advocated for the funding to the Trump Administration, citing the corridor's essential role in connecting Wisconsin manufacturing and agricultural industries to markets and the need to keep truck drivers and roadways safe. The funding comes through the Department of Transportation's (DOT) Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects (INFRA) grant program, which received an influx of resources through the Baldwin-backed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

"Wisconsin truck drivers work hard every day to deliver the goods we rely on, support our farmers and manufacturers, and keep our Made in Wisconsin economy moving forward," said Senator Baldwin. "But when truck drivers can't find a safe place to pull over and rest, it puts them and everyone else on the road at risk. That's why I am proud to bring home this investment that will give truck drivers more safe places to rest, help prevent accidents that clog up our highways and put folks in harm's way, and make our roads safer for everyone who uses them."

"WisDOT is thrilled to receive this grant to help transform two more safety rest areas in Wisconsin into modernized, safer, and accessible facilities," said WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman. "We've already seen success applying previously awarded federal grants to upgrade safety rest areas with accessible facilities and extra truck parking in Sparta, Denmark, and Maribel. We know access to truck parking is critical to the success of Wisconsin's manufacturers, farmers, and businesses. WisDOT's recently completed truck parking study documented a lack of truck parking in areas of the state. This grant will help directly address that issue by adding more than 100 truck parking spaces between the two safety rest areas along a rural stretch of I-41 in Dodge County. We're excited to get to work and make these improvements."

The funding will be used to:

• Add approximately 106 commercial truck parking spaces across two safety rest areas, Safety Rest Area 63 Lomira and Safety Rest Area 64 Theresa, along I-41, including a new staging area for oversized and overweight vehicles.
• Improve highway safety by adding lighting to parking areas and entrance and exit ramps and modernizing ramp designs to meet current standards.
• Upgrade rest area facilities to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and add family-friendly amenities, including changing stations.

According to WisDOT, the I-41 corridor carries approximately 35,400 vehicles per day, with commercial trucks accounting for 33-37% of traffic, connecting Wisconsin's manufacturing and agricultural industries to domestic and global markets. However, a lack of reliable truck parking contributes to unauthorized shoulder or ramp parking, putting truck drivers and American families at risk. Per WisDOT, in Wisconsin between 2017 and June 2025, approximately 93% of fatal crashes and 92% of injury crashes involving a parked CMV (Commercial Motor Vehicle) occurred when the CMV was parked in an unauthorized location.

The Baldwin-backed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law increased INFRA's budget over five years by 78%, investing approximately $8 billion into the grant program. In July, Senator Baldwin sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy urging him to support this project.

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