More local control needed for roads

Local control. Two small words that we hear a lot from our politicians. But these words seem to carry little actual weight in Madison. We witnessed that for several years, as the Wisconsin Department of Transportation failed to listen to the locals about the poor condition of Lang Drive. That road was recently, finally, finished, and it is now possible to drive north and south through the city without risking falling into a pothole. But that road redo was only possible because the state DOT relented, and finally agreed to move up the timetable for repair. The city knew the road was bad, and wanted to fix it. But because it is a state road, Madison was in charge, and we were left to the whim of the Madison knows best mentality. That is why it is encouraging that Governor Walker has hinted that his next state budget, while still not coming up with a long-term funding plan, and still too reliant on borrowing as a funding mechanism, will at least provide local communities more control over how state road money can be spent. Providing local control should be the goal. Because as we have seen with Lang Drive, when the state actually listens, things can finally get done.