An alliance working to improve the state's transportation network has launched an outreach campaign that highlights the worst roads and transportation systems throughout the state, with the goal of restoring funding to modernize what it calls a crippling infrastructure.

Craig Thompson, the executive director of the Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin, said the "Just Fix It" campaign is a joint venture between state municipal governments to document and share just how bad current transportation conditions are. He said well-conditioned roads, ports and aviation centers are key to a thriving economy.

"I think if you look at Wisconsin's economy, we are agriculture, we are manufacturing and we are tourism. And those are the three most transportation-heavy industries you can find," Thompson said.

According to a Department of Transportation report, 71 percent of Wisconsin roads are in "mediocre to poor" condition. Moreover, Wisconsin is home to the third-worst road conditions in the nation, just ahead of Connecticut and Illinois.

"I think the data is there," said Thompson. "But perhaps sometimes we do need to go out and see the pictures and hear the stories for it to really hit home."

Thompson serves on the Transportation Finance and Policy Commission and recently analyzed the financial commitment needed to maintain the current level of conditions over the next 10 years.

"The gap for that was about $15 billion over the course of those 10 years, or about $1.5 billion a year," he said. "We have significant needs at really every level — cities, towns, villages, counties and the state roads."

Transportation funding was a huge issue in the last budget cycle, in which the state Legislature ended up approving less money than what local governments had requested. The final budget ended up providing $850 million for road projects, much less than the $1.3 billion Gov. Scott Walker originally proposed. The decrease has led to delays in major highway projects and resurfacing and reconstruction work.