U.S. Department of Transportation Awards Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant of $842,876

East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (ECWRPC), as the designated Appleton (Fox Cities) Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), has been awarded a Safe Streets and Roads for All grant of $842,876 from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The grant will be used for two safety study projects in the Fox Cities area:

1. Completion of a County Highway KK Corridor Study spanning 4.5 miles between John Street and State Highway 55. This regionally significant corridor connects the City of Appleton, Village of Harrison, Town of Buchanan and the City of Kaukauna, and forms a boundary between Calumet and Outagamie counties. The corridor has experienced, and will continue to experience, considerable development along and around it, and was previously identified as a priority area for important safety improvements.
2. Completion of a City of Appleton Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. A comprehensive audit of existing pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure will be conducted to identify gaps in the network and opportunities for connectivity and safety improvements. 

“Securing these grants, and the work they will enable, is a tremendous win for the Fox Cities,” said Appleton Mayor Jake Woodford. “Thanks to the efforts of our Regional Planning Commission and longstanding partnerships among our communities, we will continue to advance our shared vision for quality of life and safety.”

The total cost of both projects is $1,053,595. In addition to the $842,876 federal grant, a $210,719 local match is being provided by Outagamie and Calumet counties, City of Appleton, City of Kaukauna, Village of Harrison, Town of Buchanan, and East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission. 

“The grant award demonstrates how aligning transportation infrastructure priorities and strong, collaborative partnerships, can leverage federal resources to address the most significant safety risks in our communities,” said Melissa Kraemer Badtke, Executive Director for East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission.

“I’m grateful that East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission was awarded the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant from U.S. Department of Transportation. These projects willaddress critical safety needs along the County Highway KK corridor and advance a comprehensive bicycle and pedestrian vision for the City of Appleton and the Fox Cities,” said Mayor Austin Hammond, Metropolitan Planning Organization Board Chair.

The U.S. Department of Transportation finalizes the local grant agreement later this year, at which time work on the projects can begin and will need to be completed within five years. 

The local grant is part of a total of $982,231,998 recently awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All competitive application process for 521 projects across 48 states, 18 tribes, and Puerto Rico. The grant program helps improve roadway safety by investing in safety strategies that will reduce serious injuries and fatalities among pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, motorists, and truck drivers. See all grant awards at transportation.gov/grants/ss4a/2025-awards.

East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission builds relationships and cooperative, visionary growth strategies to keep the region beautiful, healthy, and prosperous. Through the promotion of intergovernmental cooperation and regional planning, the Commission focuses on core program areas of economic development, transportation, regional comprehensive planning and environmental management.

The Commission also serves as the three designated Metropolitan Planning Organizations for Appleton (Fox Cities), Fond du Lac, and Oshkosh. The planning organizations consist of local elected officials and public agency representatives that provide local direction for urban transportation planning and the allocation of federal transportation funds to cities with populations greater than 50,000.