News Details

September 29, 2025

CITY OF OSHKOSH SEEKS TO ‘RE-VITAL-IZE’ LOCAL HIGHWAYS
Mayor, local leaders, stakeholders highlight corridor conditions, community impacts

Today, Oshkosh’s Mayor Matt Mugerauer was joined by community leaders and stakeholders to spotlight the need to revitalize the city’s aging roadways. The event, part of the statewide “Re-VITAL-ize” initiative, underscored how improved infrastructure is critical to enhancing safety, quality of life, and economic vitality in communities like Oshkosh.

“Roads are the backbone of our community,” reported Matt Mugerauer, mayor, city of Oshkosh. “The state highways running through our community have been vital to our success. Yet, as Oshkosh continues to evolve, these aging roadways need to be modernized to support our businesses and ensure resident safety. We need to plan for the future and ensure Wisconsin has sufficient resources to make the investments necessary to drive the success of our city and communities statewide."

Mayor Mugerauer was joined by his colleagues at the city, including James Rabe, director of public works and Jim Collins, director of transportation, as well as Amy Albright of the Oshkosh Convention and Visitors Bureau, Alex Hummel of UW-Oshkosh, and Aaron Droessler, division chief, Oshkosh Fire Department.

“Safe, updated roads affect how ambulances, fire, and rescue trucks get out to emergencies all over the city of Oshkosh,” reported Droessler. “Bad roads negatively impact the timing of our responses, not to mention bad roads are rough on our equipment.”

The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is also impacted by the local roads according to Alex Hummel, chief of staff for Chancellor Dr. Manohar Singh. Hummel described the importance of UW-O students to the community and how the university appreciates the maintenance of local infrastructure.

“UW- Oshkosh is grateful for any investment in our roads in and around the city because it is a factor in why a UW-O graduate wants to stay and live here after graduation,” said Hummel. “Ease of getting around – be it to a job or to the airport or shopping – these things matter and play a huge part in quality-of-life that keeps students here in Wisconsin.”

The “Re-VITAL-ize” campaign, led by the League of Wisconsin Municipalities and the Transportation Development Association, aims to raise awareness about the challenges communities face in maintaining roadways.

The recently enacted state transportation budget boosts funding for the State Highway Rehabilitation Program and includes inflationary adjustments for local transportation aids. However, local leaders warn that these steps are insufficient without a sustainable, long-term funding solution. The current funding model pits state and local road improvements against each other and often favors short-term patches over long-lasting solutions.

“While the current budget is a positive step, building upon recent budgets and keeping projects moving for the next two years, we fear that without a long-term fix to funding transportation, the state risks delayed projects and deteriorating infrastructure,” said Toni Herkert,
government affairs director for the League of Wisconsin Municipalities.

The Re-VITAL-ize effort will continue throughout Wisconsin in the coming months with similar road tours in communities around the state. You can follow the efforts of “Re-VITAL-ize” on their Facebook page: Re-VITAL-ize Wisconsin’s Community Highways .