Transportation grants go to Ellsworth, Prescott

Talk about it

Over 800 jobs are being created or retained through Transportation Economic Assistance (TEA) grants in 2011, according to information from Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s office.

The grants are administered through the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) and awarded to municipalities to foster economic growth through transportation-related improvement projects.

In addition to the 805 jobs to be directly created and retained through the 2011 TEA grants, the funding will indirectly support another 830 for a total of 1,635 jobs.

Ten TEA grants were awarded in 2011, totaling more than $3 million. TEA grants can cover up to 50 percent of a project’s total cost. Among this year’s projects are the following:

--$346,400 to the City of Prescott to improve roads around the Bergquist Company, a manufacturer of thermal management, switch and touch screen technology. The project will create 70 new jobs and indirectly support another 124 jobs.

--$194,550 to the Village of Ellsworth to improve roads around Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery, which specializes in butter, cheeses and cheese curds. The project will create 12 jobs, retain 79 jobs and indirectly support another 104 jobs.

Since it was created in 1987, the TEA grant program has invested more than $85 million in 313 projects benefiting 339 businesses and creating or retaining 72,780 jobs in Wisconsin.

For more information about WisDOT’s TEA grant program, visit http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/localgov/aid/tea.htm.

Tags: business announcements, news, wisconsin, business