Last call! Call or email by Thursday!

The La Crosse County Board will meet on Thursday, July 16 at 6:00 p.m. to vote on the resolution introduced earlier this month to end the SMRT at the end of December 2026. There is no public comment allowed at this meeting, so the best we can do is email and/or call/talk to County Board Supervisors. This address reaches all county board supervisors: countyboardsupervisors@lacrossecounty.org. Please be respectful.

We don't expect the resolution to fail. But, the year is not over yet, and the commitment many of us heard when they re-funded the service for 2026 is unfulfilled. If they vote to end the SMRT, what will be next? We must insist that it's not nothing. The same issues people wrote, called, and testified about last year are still valid. People still need to get to work or school. Patients still need to get to treatment. Folks still need to get to the train or the mall or the bus to Minneapolis. 

It is especially important for SMRT riders/advocates who live in La Crosse county to feed back. Your story is most important. If you want some other talking points, 

• We though the 2026 funding was meant to buy time to research more viable options. What research was done?
• No public involvement was invited. No outreach or input sessions were held. SMRT riders have not been kept up to date.
• Per the La Crosse Tribune article of July 10 (unfortunately behind a paywall), the County estimates that the entire cost of the SMRT as it is now for 2027 would be $280,000. If La Crosse County were to pay the entire amount, that would work out to less than $2.30 per county resident FOR THE YEAR (less than 5 cents PER WEEK). If that amount were split evenly among all the residents of the four counties the SMRT currently serves, it would cost each person $1.30 FOR THE YEAR.
• The county's budget for paving roads in 2026 is $14 million for 11 miles of road (more than $115 per resident per year).
• At the end of 2025, the county had $24.8 milion in its general fund (reserve).
• Thirty to forty percent of county residents are non-drivers per the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (that's about 36,000 to 48,000 people).
• The SMRT is the only public transit that stops at the Amtrak (demand-response on Yellow #2).

It is also important for those who live outside the county to weigh in. Your counties have already said no to funding, but we don't know what options they had, what other models were considered, or how much input they had in the process.

This board is mainly focused on La Crosse County, so whatever you can do to highlight how your ride benefits the county might have impact. Many come for work, school, shopping, medical appointments, social or recreational activities. It's too bad you have to justify your transportation needs by demonstrating how it benefits someone else, but that's where we are!

The recently published La Crosse Area Regional Transit Authority Feasibility Study (Executive Summary here) noted that for every $1 invested in regional public transit in our area, we can expect at $4 to $5 return in economic activity. There are also some other quotable quotes you might want to include.

No matter what happens on Thursday, we need to keep up advocacy for something. Non-drivers need a connected, accessible transportation system. Fewer cars means less air and particle pollution and lower greenhouse gas emissions. More people on buses means fewer traffic deaths and injuries. 

We will try to focus on what that or those programs might be in the coming months.

Summer Ride on the Bus

The City of La Crosse collaborated with the MTU for a free ride on Tuesday for students. We were told that it was a Scavenger Hunt. Students from across the La Crosse area were able to ride on the bus from wherever they started to the Transit Center. La Crosse Transit Advocates were there to give them information about riding the bus, and nylon backpacks which the kids really liked. 

Here’s the story from WIProud – City of La Crosse collaborating for youth summer ride.

Rozie Brooks, LATA Member

SMRT RED ALERT

 

 

The La Crosse County Board had a brief presentation about the SMRT bus outlook for 2026 and beyond at 6 p.m. on Monday evening, July 6. We were notified about this agenda item by a county board member at about 5:50 p.m. on Monday, July 6. The online TEAMS broadcast of the meeting did not include sound nor closed captioning, at least for most of the meeting, but the PowerPoint presentation is here. There may soon be  recording of the meeting but it's not available yet. The presentation does not provide much new information from the 2025 presentation.

On the agenda for the La Crosse County Executive Board meeting for Wednesday, July 8 at 8:00 a.m., is a resolution to discontinue the SMRT on December 31, 2026. If you are able to attend this meeting, arrive by 7:45 a.m. to speak or by 8 a.m. to show support, please do. There is a limited time available to speak. The meeting is at the County Administration Building, 7th and State Street. If you are able to email county board members about this again, please do. This email address will email ALL County Board Supervisors: countyboardsupervisors@lacrossecounty.org

 

This resolution will, we think, be discussed and voted on at the July 16 at 6 p.m. County Board meeting. You are encouraged to attend UPDATE - NO PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE ALLOWED AT THIS MEETING. This meeting will be at the County Administration Building, 7th & State Street. The agenda is not yet published, but we will post it at our website when it is.

Please help spread the word and encourage people to again speak up about this issue, now is the time.

As far as we are aware, there have been zero public information or input sessions since the same decision was made in 2025. We have been asking since December for updates and information about opportunities for public involvement and input. In March, we received a very minimal list of steps being taken which actually left out some important items.

Ironically, as this execution is being planned, state transit advocates are organizing to help lawmakers craft Regional Transit Authority (RTA) enabling legislation that would provide avenues for funding and organizing administration of these important connections to jobs, education, healthcare, social activities, and other transportation, especially Amtrak, around the state.

There are two meetings this month that will discuss the RTA legislation.

On Thursday, July 9 at 3:30 p.m., this month's meeting of the La Crosse Area Planning Committee' advisory Committee on Transit and Active Transportation will include discussion of the RTA input session for our area. There is no agenda item specifically about the SMRT situation, but this will probably be brought up. You may attend the CTAT meeting in person (in the County Administration Building, 7th and State) or online. Find agenda and online access info here https://lacrossecounty.org/metropolitan-planning-organization/committees/committee-on-transit-and-active-transportation along with a recently completed RTA study report (executive summary here) that noted, "Comparing these benefits to the level of investment required to provide transit service under each scenario, benefit-cost ratios range from approximately 4 to 5, indicating that each scenario produces several dollars of estimated benefit for every dollar of investment."

On Tuesday, July 14 From 2 to 4 p.m., the Coalition for more Responsible Transportation will host an online session to look at how we can promote and support RTA legislation in 2027. If you are a member of the Sierra Club, 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, LATA, or other CMRT member organizations, you are invited to participate. Register here for the link to join: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/TIli0dO0RYicYEjYBlQa5Q The CMRT Steering Committee has also prepared a survey that all coalition members are encouraged to complete. Survey responses submitted ahead of the meeting will help shape the discussion: https://forms.gle/pNWKNMWdPbL44bA28

If you would like to learn or discuss more about the state RTA effort, plan to attend one or both of these meetings. Otherwise, please at least try to do one or more of the following:

• spread the word about this development
• call, email, or visit with YOUR local and county electeds about this issue (for talking points, read the executive summary of the LAPC RTA study linked above)
• call, email, or visit with LA CROSSE COUNTY supervisors (see link to email all above)
• attend the July 8 8 a.m. La Crosse County Board Executive Committee meeting at the County Administration Building, 7th and State Street, La Crosse
• attend the July 16 6 p.m. La Crosse County Board meeting at the County Administration Building, 7th and State Street, La Crosse  [NO PUBLIC COMMENT ALLOWED AT THIS MEETING]

 

Please encourage others to speak up, too. This is not just about SMRT commuters or the thousands of non-drivers in our region. This is about reducing air and water pollution, making transportation more equitable and safer for all, regional economic development, and reducing transportation-related, greenhouse gas-causing emissions. 

July updates

First – from the La Crosse Area Planning Committee. “LAPC is updating the Regional Transit Development Plan and needs input from residents and visitors! This survey will take less than 5 minutes and will greatly help LAPC make recommendations that best represent how our community uses transit. Whether or not you ride transit, it provides an essential service to those that need it and is a great alternative to driving, walking, or biking. The Regional Transit Development Plan is a 5–10 year plan meant to track and recommend improvements to local transit services. Hearing from the public is an important part of making sure future investments in transit make the system work better. To complete an online survey, use the link below or to request hard copy of the survey, call Travis Key, LAPC Associate Transportation Planner, at 608-789-8548. Thank you!” https://forms.office.com/g/nz0YfwS0up 

[NOTE: YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A COUNTY RESIDENT TO COMPLETE THIS SURVEY. Especially if you use the SMRT, it's important for you to fill this survey out!]

On July 7, the MTU and School District are hosting a “Great Race” style scavenger hunt for local youth, ages 11-17, from noon to 4 p.m. Youth fares will be FREE on this day whether or not people are participating in the event. A flyer for the event is attached. Can you help LATA staff the Transit Center scavenger hunt stop any time between noon and 4 p.m. on July 7? If you can help, please email us!

On Thursday, July 9 at 3:30 p.m. the Advisory Committee on Transit and Active Transportation (CTAT) of the La Crosse Area Planning Committee (LAPC) is scheduled to meet online and in person. The agenda has not been published yet but will be available at https://www.lacrossecounty.org/metropolitan-planning-organization/committees/committee-on-transit-and-active-transportation

On Tuesday, July 14 from 2 to 4 p.m., the Coalition for More Responsible Transportation (CMRT) is planning an online program for all members  (LATA members are members of Wisconsin Transit Riders Alliance which is a member of CMRT, so you are invited!) As discussions around Regional Transit Authorities and transit policy continue, we want to bring the coalition together for a candid conversation to better understand members' collective priorities and begin developing a strong, unified advocacy agenda moving forward. We'll aim to conclude the planned program by 3:30, leaving room for continued discussion until 4. Register here for the link to join: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/TIli0dO0RYicYEjYBlQa5Q The CMRT Steering Committee has also prepared a survey that all coalition members are encouraged to complete. Survey responses submitted ahead of the meeting will help shape the discussion: https://forms.gle/pNWKNMWdPbL44bA28

Did you know our region once had regional rail lines that connected our small communities with daily service? Arlyn Colby writes books about these services and he is coming to our area. Last year, he published The Coon Valley Line and he has just finished a book about The Viroqua Line. We are working to finalize an author talk on Friday afternoon, July 17 in La Crosse. Once details are finalized, information will be posted at our website.

On July 28 at 10 a.m., the topic of Gil Penalosa's Cities for Everyone Webinar will be Imagining a Life After Cars with Doug Gorden and Sarah Goodyear, hosts of The War on Cars podcast. Learn more about this and other programs, past and future, and register at https://gpenalosa.ca/webinar/

On July 29, there will be a Week Without Driving webinar at 1 p.m. online. The topic is: Week Without Driving – A Global Movement for Transportation Access. You can learn more about this and past and future events at https://weekwithoutdriving.org/organize/

LATA is working on scheduling a Transit Talk & Treats event in mid-August at Peoples Food Co-op. Stay tuned for details.

We will table at postsecondary back-to-school events this fall between September 3 and 9. Shifts are 1.5 hours and you will talk with college students about our transit systems and how to use and support them. If you can help out, please sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/LATAtabling2026.

We are still seeking co-sponsors for this year's Week Without Driving (Oct. 1-8). If you, your workplace, faith group, business, or organization would like to help promote this important event to highlight the need for better transportation choices to ensure access to life for everyone, please fill out this form. Here's a sample email you can send to your school, workplace, club, faith group, or favorite store!

I'm emailing to invite you to co-sponsor this year's Week Without Driving, October 1-8, a national event that highlights the need to ensure we have affordable, accessible transportation options so everyone, including non-drivers, can get where they need to go. In La Crosse, we will have a week of programs and activities to help people learn about local transportation challenges and options. Co-sponsors will have their names on event literature, will help promote the event, and will encourage their contacts to participate. If they want to, co-sponsors may donate a prize for Week Without Driving Bingo and/or schedule a program during the week. To see what we did last year, visit https://tinyurl.com/wwdlacrosse. To sign up as a co-sponsor, visit https://tinyurl.com/wwdlaxcosponsor. If you need more information before deciding, please ask me or call 608-315-2693 or email LaCrosseTransitAdvocates@proton.me.

WisARP Happy Hour

The monthly Wisconsin Association of Rail Passrngers Wisconsin Association of Rail Passengers Social Hour will be Tuesday, June 30, 2026 at 7 p.m. CT

This event is only online:  https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88139547851?pwd=PAmPiVyU3PirygbjxgWQNZ8Ocazjr8.1

This monthly virtual get-together is a convenient way to meet your fellow WisARP members.
A great place to bring your questions about how to make passenger rail happen!
A great place to discuss the latest news.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Ian Weisser
Your friendly WisARP VP of Internet Communication
ianw.wisarp@gmail.com

City-wide Youth MTU Scavenger Hunt

 

Join the City of La Crosse MTU, youth agencies, and local organizations for a City-Wide Summer Ride event. Youth organizations are challenged to visit various locations around the city of La Crosse  while naviagating the MTU. Groups will end at a  local ice cream shop to celebrate!

Bus fare is FREE for all youth this day, regardless of participation.

 TUESDAY,  JULY 7

NOON to 4:00 PM

This  event  is  for  youth  ages 11+  participating  with a community organization.  To sign up, please  email Andy Kiel at akiel@lacrossesd.org by June 29.