JUNEAU — Dodge County officials are looking at how to fund road repairs long term as the county works to improve pavement conditions across its highway system.
County Administrator Cameron Clapper said on WBEV’s Community Comment that roadwork is underway this season, but the larger issue is how the county addresses its roads over time. He said about half of Dodge County’s county roads are close to new condition, while slightly less than half need repair.
Dodge County’s Highway Department says it is responsible for maintenance and improvement projects on about 540 centerline miles of county highways, the second-largest county highway system in Wisconsin. The department also contracts with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to maintain more than 226 centerline miles of state highways.
Clapper said the county can reconstruct about 30 miles of road per year, but has more work than that to address. He said the county currently has about $6 million to $7 million available annually for road reconstruction without financing, but officials would like to move closer to $10 million per year for road work.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation says counties and municipalities are required every two years to submit pavement ratings for roads under their jurisdiction. WisDOT’s WISLR system allows local governments to report road information, including pavement condition ratings.
Clapper said one tool the county may use more often is chip sealing, which he acknowledged is unpopular with some drivers but described as one of the least expensive and most effective road-maintenance options. Dodge County’s published 2026 highway project list includes 27.4 miles of work at a total listed cost of about $17.9 million, including chip sealing on County Highways DF and K.
Clapper said shifting roads back to towns is not a likely solution because towns would have to agree to take them over. He said county leaders have continued to indicate they want all county roads kept in good condition, meaning Dodge County will need to address the issue itself.
