Contact: Cullen Werwie, 608-267-7303
Project creates 125 direct new jobs, 129 indirect jobs
Madison – Governor Scott Walker announced today that a Transportation Economic Assistance (TEA) grant has been awarded to the City of Altoona, Eau Claire County. The $625,000 award provides the state’s contribution toward helping Curt Manufacturing, Inc. expand its existing facility in Altoona and create new jobs in the community.
“Investing in quality transportation is vital for businesses that are looking to expand in Wisconsin,” Governor Walker said. “By providing these funds, we are bringing quality jobs to Wisconsin while improving road access to Curt Manufacturing’s expanded facility.”
The $625,000 grant covers nearly half of the cost of designing and reconstructing a portion of US 12 and the intersection with Eau Claire County A to improve access to the firm’s expanded facilities. A City of Altoona contribution of $150,000 and an additional $549,167 from DOT repair and rehabilitation funds will cover the costs of the project. The transportation improvement project has a total cost of $1,324,167.
“This project directly creates 125 new jobs and indirectly creates 129 jobs, resulting in $12.6 million in annual wages right here in Wisconsin,” Governor Walker noted.
Curt Manufacturing, Inc. is investing $9.5 million to construct and equip a 150,000 square-foot warehousing and logistics facility next to their existing 165,000 square-foot manufacturing plant. The firm is the second largest manufacturer of trailer hitches and towing products in the United States.
Since its creation in 1987, the TEA grant program has invested nearly $82.7 million in 304 projects benefiting 330 businesses and creating 71,399 jobs in Wisconsin.
For more information, please contact Don Uelmen at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation at 608-266-3488 or via e-mail at donald.uelmen@dot.state.wi.us.
