84.28 State park, forest and riverway roads.

(1) Moneys from the appropriations under s. 20.370 (7) (mc) and (mr) may be expended for the renovation, marking, and maintenance of a town or county highway located within the boundaries of any state park, state forest, or other property under the jurisdiction of the department of natural resources. Moneys from the appropriations under s. 20.370 (7) (mc) and (mr) may be expended for the renovation, marking, and maintenance of a town or county highway located in the lower Wisconsin state riverway as defined in s. 30.40 (15). Outside the lower Wisconsin state riverway as defined in s. 30.40 (15), or outside the boundaries of these parks, forests, or property, moneys from the appropriations under s. 20.370 (7) (mc) and (mr) may be expended for the renovation, marking, and maintenance of roads that the department of natural resources certifies are utilized by a substantial number of visitors to state parks, state forests, or other property under the jurisdiction of the department of natural resources. The department of natural resources shall authorize expenditures under this subsection. The department of natural resources shall rank projects eligible for assistance under a priority system and funding may be restricted to those projects with highest priority. In ranking projects, the department of natural resources shall consider whether the project is for the renovation, marking, or maintenance of roads used for forestry management on property under the jurisdiction of the department of natural resources.

(2) The department may administer a program for the construction, maintenance and marking of roads, including fire roads, service areas, trailer or vehicle parking stalls or parking areas and other facilities consistent with highway construction and for the marking of scenic routes in the state parks, state forests, the lower Wisconsin state riverway as defined under s. 30.40 (15), state fish hatcheries, other public used areas under the jurisdiction of the department of natural resources and other public lands as defined in ch. 24, for highways or fire roads leading from the most convenient state trunk highways to such lands, and for the relocation and construction of state trunk highways in or near state parks when required in the interests of public safety. Within the limitations and for the purposes of this section, work may be performed by or under the supervision or authority or with the approval of the department, upon the request for such work filed by the department of natural resources as to the lower Wisconsin state riverway, as defined in s. 30.40 (15), or as to state park or forest lands, or by the board of commissioners of the public lands as to other classes of public lands. Outside the lower Wisconsin state riverway, as defined in s. 30.40 (15), and outside the limits of the park, state forest and public land areas, direct connections to the most convenient state trunk highway may be built or maintained under this section. Roads in unincorporated areas within 5 miles of the boundaries of the Horicon national wildlife refuge or the Horicon marsh wildlife area may be built or maintained under this section upon request of the town board, if the department of transportation certifies that such roads are or will be used by a substantial number of visitors to such area. Costs incurred under this section shall be the responsibility of the department of natural resources, commissioners of public lands or town board, as appropriate.

History: 1971 c. 164; 1973 c. 243 s. 82; 1975 c. 181; 1977 c. 29 ss. 1654 (8) (a), 1656 (43); 1979 c. 34 s. 2102 (52) (a); 1981 c. 20; 1983 a. 27; 1989 a. 31; 1997 a. 27; 2011 a. 32; 2015 a. 55.