FREE FARES on the MTU ALL DAY.
Tabling all day at the Transit Center
Grand River Station Transit Center Open House from 4 to 7 p.m.
Please share widely. PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL YOUR CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE AND YOUR COUNTY BOARD SUPERVISOR (use this Find My Elected Officials link) and ask them to come to the Open House. Again, we are looking for a few folks to take a shift tabling at the Transit Center between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.. If you can help, please email.
Please contact your state Representative and Senator and ask them to support SB 754, a bill that would allow for the creation of Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs). Representative Billings is a co-sponsor. Please thank her and invite Sen. Pfaff, Rep. Johnson, and Rep. Doyle to support. With the current makeup of the legislature, it's not likely to come out of committee, but demonstrating strong support will help its next iteration if new maps allow for better legislative representation in 2026.
On Friday, February 6, we're hosting a Transit Outreach SMRT ride from La Crosse to Viroqua. We'll catch the mid-morning Yellow #2 and arrive in Viroqua around 11 a.m. We'll hand out info about the SMRT.. If you want to go, please email since sometimes space is limited. Cost is $5 each way paid in cash to the driver. The trip flyer will be up at the Transit Equity Day site soon.
We still have not heard anything about opportunities for SMRT riders to get involved in discussions about improving the service but will pass along anything we hear of!
On Wednesday, February 11, there will be a program, Transportation Options at the McIntosh Memorial Library in Viroqua at 2:15 p.m. Learn more here: https://mcintoshmemoriallibrary.events.mylibrary.digital/event?id=287644 The event is free and open to the public and is presented in partnership with Vernon County Over 50.
The next LATA Leaders meeting will be Wednesday, February 11 at 6:30 p.m. online. Please reply to this email if you would like to join in.
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Tuesday, February 24 is Passenger Rail Legislative Day (the events are in-person only). The day includes a session in the Wisconsin State Capitol, Room 411 South, from 10 a.m. to noon. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. This event is free, and no registration required. The afternoon session is at the Top Of The Park room, Park Hotel, 22 South Carroll Street from 12:30 to 3:30. This event is $35, and includes lunch. Registration is required (register here!) Meet the leadership of Wisconsin’s rail advocacy groups, learn how the landscape has changed, and get the latest news! Interested i car pooling from La Crosse? Reply to this email. Going by public transit would take three days! Pitiful!!
On March 2, our wonderful local planners will do a program at the La Crosse Public Library, “Street Smarts – Designing Safe Streets for Everyone.” It's part of the library's Monday Mornings at Main which includes a 9 a.m. chair yoga session and a 9:30 coffee and socializing time before the 10 a.m. program. Learn more here: https://www.lacrosselibrary.org/event/monday-mornings-main-44565
New hours at the Transit Center. The Transit Center, 314 Jay Street is now open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. Alas, still no weekend hours!
A few of us are working on an informational brochure about the SMRT. The hope is to have it done by February 4. Do you have ideas to get the word out? Can you talk to your workplace or school encouraging them to sponsor? Can you make a series of short videos about the greatness of public transit? Can you host a group ride with your friends, co-workers, or organization? How can we help spread the word?
Please consider joining LATA officially at https://tinyurl.com/joinLATA.
