Programs for Local Government > Highways and bridges > 

General Transportation Aids

Program overview

General Transportation Aids (GTA) is the second largest program in WisDOT’s budget and returns to local governments roughly 21.8 % of all state-collected transportation revenues (fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees) - helping offset the cost of county and municipal road construction, maintenance, traffic and other transportation-related costs. 

Funds are provided to town, cities and villages through quarterly payments made on the first Monday of January, April, July and October. Pursuant to §86.30(2)(e), Wis. Stats., beginning in calendar year 2009, county GTA payments are made in three installments, with 25% of the total calendar year amount being paid on January 5, 2009, 50% on July 6, 2009, and 25% on October 5, 2009. Communities select payment options including paper check, automated clearinghouse (ACH), or state investment pool (ACH-INV). Please contact Carol Doran at the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, (608) 266-2569 or fax (608) 264-6887, to modify your payment option.

WisDOT provides local governments with background information to identify how their annual GTA payment levels are calculated. The following document identifies the specific calculation process and data inputs used to develop the CY 2008 payment levels.

You can navigate through the document below by:

1. Click on the file to open the file.
2. Select "Ctrl" and "F"
3. Enter the CVT code (i.e. community reference number) in the "Find" box (for Adobe Reader 5.0) or in the box below the statement "What word or phrase would you like to search for?" (for newer versions of Adobe Acrobat).
4. Select "Enter" or "Search" and the data page for the community will be displayed.

Calendar Year 2010 payment estimates 

WisDOT estimates the GTA figure based on the most recent transportation-related cost data from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. Please review the data carefully. This is your opportunity to correct any errors prior to the calculation of final figures, which will be sent to you on December 14, 2009. Please contact Lori Richter with any questions and/or changes no later than November 9, 2009.

• GTA CY 2010 estimates (8.7 MB) [This is a large file and may take several minutes to download]

Calendar Year 2009 payment levels - FINAL 

• Calendar Year 2009 Final Payment Level Calculations and Data (9 MB) [This is a large file and may take several minutes to download]

Late filers

The following is a list of communities (by CVT) that filed their Financial Report Form after the appropriate due date or filing extension deadline. Pursuant to Wis Stat. 86.303, a penalty will be assessed on GTA payments to these communities in CY 2010. Attached is a document with the estimated penalties. These penalties, also listed on individual GTA Calculation worksheets, are provisional; they will be finalized when CY 2010 GTA payment amounts are finalized on December 14, 2009.

• GTA CY 2010 Late Filers and Estimated Penalties

CVT Index

The spreadsheet below provides a listing of the unique, five-digit CVT code for each town, village, city and county in Wisconsin.

• CVT Index

GTA Calculation 

The document below provides a general description of the calculation process along with defining the data inputs used in the calculation.

• Description of the calculation process and data definitions for GTA  

Previous calendar year payments

The following documents list the final GTA payments for each town, village, city, and county from 2004-2008:

• Calendar Year 2008 GTA Payments
• Calendar Year 2007 GTA Payments
• Calendar Year 2006 GTA Payments
• Calendar Year 2005 GTA Payments  
• Calendar Year 2004 GTA Payments  

Transportation cost data

GTA funds are distributed to all Wisconsin counties, cities, villages and towns based on a six-year spending average or a statutorily set rate-per-mile.  Transportation cost data is annually provided to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue in a Financial Report Form.

The Cost Reporting Manual defines the eligible expenses and revenues used to calculate GTA payments. A fact sheet is included at the end of the manual identifying formulas and calculations for administration of GTA. 

General Transportation Aids Brochure

The Local Roads and Streets Council (LRSC) recently updated the General Transportation Aids (GTA) brochure (932 KB). GTA is the second largest program administered by WisDOT. The program provides over $400 million annually to the 1,923 counties, cities, villages and towns in Wisconsin. The brochure discusses the importance of the program to local governments, how funds are distributed and describes the local role in transportation investments. To request a hardcopy color brochure, please contact your local governmental association or contact the GTA program manager.

Program manager: Lori Richter, lori.richter@dot.wi.gov, or (608) 266-0254 

You will need the Adobe Reader (provided free of charge) to view PDF files. For more information about getting your free copy of the Adobe Reader, visit WisDOT's Software information page.

Questions about the content of this page:
Lori Richter, lori.richter@dot.wi.gov
Last modified: October 15, 2009