MADISON, Wis. -- State lawmakers are considering temporarily stopping the presses on state highway maps to save money.

Wisconsin prints nearly two million maps a year and hands them out for free at state and local visitor centers. That practice would cease under a new bill, at least temporarily, but that's enough to have tourism advocates concerned.

In the days of GPS navigation and MapQuest, some might not think maps are a hot commodity at the state line.

"We are the entry point to the state, right on the Illinois line, and this area has more visitors crossing at that point than any place in Wisconsin. And the first question they ask is, 'Can I get a Wisconsin map,'" said Martha Mitchell, executive director of the Beloit Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Beloit's three visitor centers give out 50 to 100 maps a day during slow times and many more in the summer, which is why they're concerned about the presses potentially stopping.

"I know everybody's budgets are really tight right now but what brings money into the state is the out-of-state traveler or the business traveler that needs to get to their destination, and what they need is a map," said Mitchell.

Lawmakers, though, see it as a chance to cut costs in a tight state budget.

"This specific bill saves the state taxpayers $250,000 by not allowing the Department of Transportation to print state highway maps," said Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, a cosponsor of the bill.

The Department of Transportation said they have a surplus of more than 400,000 maps in storage, and some said those should be used before printing nearly two million more.

"We're going to have to make tough (budget) decisions, so asking someone to drive around, do a U-turn, I think is the least we can ask of people right now," said Davis.

But those who help tourists in the state are concerned they'll make a U-turn right back home.

"We are spending millions to invite tourists to come to Wisconsin. All the cities spend millions printing brochures to attract them to their destination; the state spends millions of dollars on roads to get them there. So why don't we want to show them or give them something to help get them there," said Mitchell.

The DOT said it distributes more than 72,000 maps a month, which means the current surplus would only last about six more months. That would leave the state until 2011 without maps -- and a question of whether funding would be restored for them in the next budget.