WisDOT MAPSS - Accountability - Surplus Property Management - The continuous effort to use public dollars in the most efficient and cost-effective way.
Surplus Property Management - The continuous effort to use public dollars in the most efficient and cost-effective way.The department purchases property for transportation improvement projects. Upon project completion, land that is no longer needed is sold to local communities and private developers. Our goal is to generate $2.75 million in revenue from surplus land sales toward the Transportation Fund.
Surplus lands sales are important because they return unused property to the tax rolls. Once the project design and construction are complete, land that is no longer needed can be made available for private development. The revenue generated by surplus land sales is deposited into the Transportation Fund to be available for other transportation improvements. Sales of surplus spur local economic development since the parcels often have good roadway access and visibility. When land is returned to the tax rolls, local governments benefit because they can generate new property tax revenue from the property.
Availability of surplus lands and interest from potential buyers are the most significant factors. Over the previous 14 fiscal years (2011– 2024) the department sold 1,729 parcels, returning the parcels back to the local tax rolls. The sales have generated more than $64 million in parcel revenue. In the past 14 years, WisDOT also generated $14 million in lease income from WisDOT-owned properties and parcels held for future transportation projects.
The current surplus land inventory is 885 parcels. Ninety-one (10.2%) are available land with independent access from the roadways and are considered general marketable properties for the public. The department classifies 573 parcels (64.7%) as having limited marketability, as they lack access and can only be sold to one of two or more abutting property owners. Also, 221 parcels (25.1%) are considered non-marketable with no access and can only be sold to the single abutting property owner.
WisDOT continues to improve the management of surplus lands records by increasing efficiency and data accuracy. In early 2024, the department initiated a project to analyze 963 surplus lands inventory records for accuracy. Thus far, 514 records have been reviewed leading to slight changes in the inventory numbers from fiscal year 2024. In addition to updating inventory data, the cleanup project also lays the groundwork for the creation of a public-facing Geographic Information System (GIS) map to show the department’s surplus lands inventory in an accessible map format.
Also, WisDOT has requested multiple enhancements to the READS real estate data system to align with §84.09, improving compliance tracking and streamlining operations.