Amtrak will give a free companion ticket for those booking a roomette by Dec. 8 for travel from January 3 through March 27. Use code C103.
Monday, December 4, 2023
Saturday, December 2, 2023
Learn and Feed Back!
There are several opportunities for us to learn about what's happening at the city level concerning walking, biking, and taking the bus. Please try to attend one or more if you can. Also, would you be interested in joining a panel to talk about Transit Equity in early February? If yes, please email LaCrosseTransitAdvocates@proton.me.
But first, please come on Thursday, December 14 from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Talk Transit with MTU staff at the Southside Neighborhood Center, 1300 South 6th Street (accessibly via #1 or Circulators). The event is hosted by the MTU, but LATA will have a table there. Can you help staff it? Please email or call 608-315-2693 if yes!
There are a couple of city meetings
coming up that the public may attend.
- On Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 8:30 a.m., the city's Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) will meet in the Council Chambers at City Hall AND online. The agenda is available at least 24 hours before the meeting and includes the link to attend online. Learn more here: https://tinyurl.com/LaXBPAC
- On Tuesday, December 12 at 4:00 p.m., the city's MTU Board will meet online at 4:00 p.m. Find more information, agendas, and link to attend at https://tinyurl.com/LaXMTUBd
Our LATA leaders meeting will be on Wednesday, December 13 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. We'll talk about Transit Equity Days plans (Jan. 29 through Feb. 4) and what we want to do in 2024. Please join us if you can! Call or email for the link to join.
We would love to include more communities in our recognition of Transit Equity Days (TED), Jan. 29 through Feb. 4. Without access to good transit, many people are left our of life. We are building a week of transit/equity-related programs and events. If your group, organization, faith community, non-profit, or business would like to support TED, please email or call.
Remember, the Transportation for Amerca Transportation Camp Unconference happens on Saturday, January 6. This is a great chance to hear good ideas from around the country, connect with other transit advocates, and listen to fantastic speakers. The keynoter will be Veronica O. Davis, Transportation Manager, City of Houston. Her new book, Inclusive Transporation: A Manifesto for Repairing Divided Communities is a must-read! Get more information and register for the online conference here: https://t4america.org/transportation-camp/
Thursday, November 16, 2023
Detour updates!
We just heard that the Route 1 bus will be back on its normal track soon! With the
reconstruction of South Avenue, several stops have changed. Here's a brief update:
The South Ave detour ends on Monday, November 20, 2023, and the buses will go back to the normal route.
Some bus stops have been relocated due to the road changes.
Route 1 South Ave - Outbound
- The bus stops have been removed from West Avenue and South Avenue and from South Ave and Bennett.
- A new stop has been placed on South Ave by Kwik Spirits.
- The bus stop and shelter remains by Aptiv but there is no longer a bus pull off lane
Route 1 Downtown - Inbound
- The bus shelter by the Hmong Cultural Center on Ward Avenue has been moved closer to driveway.
- The bus stop has been removed from 16th Street and South Ave and placed on South Avenue by the crosswalk close to America's Best Cleaning
- The bus stop on the corner of South Avenue and West Avenue has been moved back on South Avenue close to the parking lot of Inland Printing.
No other bus stops have been affected.
Saturday, November 11, 2023
Your input needed!
Feedback online at https://forwardlacrosse.org/
Remember to include transit in your input, stories, and suggestions. We need safe sidewalks and secure bike parking at bus stops, for example.
Would you attend a transit-oriented input session? Stay tuned!
Wednesday, October 11, 2023
Pedestrian Safety
Fall is officially here!
Did you know October happens to be Pedestrian Safety Month?
How ever you roam - on foot, roll, or by bike, you are a pedestrian at some point. Thirty-one percent of Wisconsinites do not drive. This also includes people with vision loss.
On October 12 at 11 a.m., a White Cane Day proclamation will be read at City Hall. I would love for transit/pedestrian advocates join us and support our local B/VI (blind and visually impaired) community. Over 109,000 Wisconsinites who utilize a white cane or guide dog 100% rely on public transportation and being a pedestrian.
On October 15th, White Cane Safety Day celebrates the achievements of people who are Blind or Visually Impaired. It promotes awareness of people walking who use white canes or guide dogs to assist them and to increase awareness of Wisconsin’s White Cane Law, which requires that motorists come to a full stop before approaching closer than 10 feet to a pedestrian who is using a white cane or guide dog.
Please consider reaching out to local officials to help advocate for Audible Pedestrians Signals and Accessibility within our great city!
Liz
Saturday, September 30, 2023
Oct. 2-8 WEEK WITHOUT DRIVING
Join us October 2-8, 2023 to take on the challenge.
Take the challenge! Experience a week
without driving and consider what life is like for the up to 40% of fellow La Crosse adults who are non-drivers.
Sign up for the challenge: https://tinyurl.com/WWD23-LaCrosse
Or
Print out or grab a #WWD bingo card and turn it in by October 16 for a prize. Bingo cards can be picked up and dropped off at any of the following locations: City Hall lobby at the Parks and Recreation desk, Grand River Station, any La Crosse Library Branch, and Smith Bikes.
Try out a Drift Cycle bike share for one hour free with code WWD2023.
Try out the MTU for free on Wednesday, October 4.
Try out the SMRT Bus for free on Thursday, October 5 (join La Crosse Area Transit Advocates on that day for a Ride SMRT 2 Viroqua)
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🚶🏼♀️ 🚍 🚶🏿 🚲 🚶🏿♀️ 🛹🚶🏽♂️
From AmericaWalks.org: People without a car or unable to drive should be able to get to where they need to go safely and effectively. But every day, Americans who can’t drive – approximately 25 percent of the population – face significant barriers to mobility such as inadequate sidewalks, poor transit, lack of connectivity and dangerous roads. The needs of non-drivers are too-often disregarded in transportation infrastructure and policies. Our goal should be a transportation system designed to support all individuals, regardless of ability, age, or income, that will strengthen our communities and enhance our quality of life.
In 2020, Disability Mobility Initiative began documenting the experiences of non-drivers in the State of Washington. In 2021 and 2022, they challenged elected officials and other decision-makers to a Week Without Driving – with profound effects on those who participated. For 2023, Disability Mobility Initiative is partnering with America Walks to take Week Without Driving national.
America Walks urges elected officials, public officials, transportation professionals, organizations, advocates, and individuals to participate in the National Week Without Driving. We want those who have the option to drive regularly to understand the barriers and challenges that non-drivers face when trying to move safely in their communities, and work with non-drivers to create better communities for all.
Sunday, September 10, 2023
SMRT to VIROQUA
Our 2023 trip is set! Join us!
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5
Catch
the SMRT Yellow Route #2 as it winds through La Crosse mid-morning and
arrive in Viroqua at a little after 11 a.m. Spend an hour or an
afternoon. Remember, the Viroqua Shared Ride Taxi can help you get
around in Viroqua and Westby. Return trip is on your own. Check the BLUE and YELLOW schedules for options.
This year's ride is part of La Crosse #Week Without Driving and fares will be FREE!
We’ll
arrive in Viroqua at about 11 a.m. and you will choose what to do,
where to go, and how long to stay There are four return trip options
which have you back in La Crosse between 1:30 and 6:00 p.m.
This
event is part of National Week Without Driving and the bus fare is
FREE! Bring your own lunch or eat at a restaurant. Other expenses will
depend on what you choose to do, including:
Driftless Books & Music * The Vernon County Museum
Paper, Scissors, Stone * Ewetopia * Viroqua Public Market
Viroqua Food Co-op * Thoreau’s Garden and more!
Or, consider taking a Walking Tour, suggested by the Vernon County Historical Society!
Catch the SMRT Yellow Route #2 to Viroqua:
| 9:48 | UWL by Cartwright Ctr | |
10:03 | Mayo Clinic Shelter |
| 9:54 | WTC (7th St Aca Rec Ctr) | |
10:08 | Gundersen East Bldg |
| 9:58 | Fifth & King | |
10:16 | Shopko South |
Return trip, YOUR CHOICE:
Return
at 12:17 (back in La Crosse 1:17-1:47) OR 2:30 (3:28-3:55) OR 3:24
(4:22-4:42) OR 4:39 (5:40-6:07) (Retrun trip begins at the Vernon
Memorial Hospital.)
Please sign up by October 1 at tinyurl.com/LATA2VIROQUA because SPACE IS LIMITED!
Questions? Email LaCrosseTransitAdvocates@proton.me
OR call 608-315-2693 and leave a message for a call back
Sunday, September 3, 2023
The 3D Project
Thanks to those who came out to support public transit in La Crosse, share transit stories and ideas, and get a sneak peak at the Fryseth Family 3D project! It was nice to meet up in person for a change. There was even a news report about the event! Thanks, Channel 19!
Here's more about the 3D tactile map project from Lillian and Quentin Fryseth:
How would you navigate our MTU system if you had a disability? Sure, the app is ok, but it doesn’t address the transit center/transfer point, or it can be confusing for those who may not want to use the app.This is a question that my brother and I witnessed first hand. My mother is blind and has difficulty at times remembering where a bus is located or schedule. We saw a need for accessibility change!We are creating a tactile map of the outdoor portion of the transit center as well as the Clinton/Caledonia Street transfer point. This would be color contrast 3D tactile areas with large raised print with braille on buses and street tags.We also are updating and simplifying time table routes and putting a QR code opposite the number on each of the buses to make it easier to use. The QR code will also give a clock face directional cue, using the information kiosk as the focus point, to improve accessibility.On the Clinton and Caledonia Street Transfer Point, it will give the direction of travel and where each bus is located. Both maps will also include a MTU phone number in large print and in braille.This will hopefully assist people to travel independently and ride confidently who may have cognitive impairments, be elderly, blind or have low vision.We have been working in partnership with the La Crosse Library, and have had our parents support the cost to 3D print, as well as the MTU with route information and many questions. We are hoping to complete this project with the conclusion of our summer break before school starts.Our hope is that the community as a whole will be able to utilize our MTU transit map with ease. It also will be a more cost effective option then other methods to travel within our great city.
Saturday, August 19, 2023
Events coming up!
Mark your calendars! Here are some one-time and ongoing events we invite you to attend/participate in. We have had few opportunities for in-person events, so we're excited to share these.
Please join us on Thursday, August 31 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Weigent Park for Walk & Roll - Mobility to GO! a Meet & Greet with La Crosse Area Transit Advocates and the MTU. There will be an MTU bus with the new Quantum system, some refreshments, door prizes, and the chance to talk transit with advocates and MTU staff. We may also have some elected leaders there. Please plan to attend if you can. Knowing that people appreciate and support transit and transit advocates makes a big difference! Take the #2 bus! Please COME TO THE EVENT! and share and post the flyer (click here for a .pdf version for printing).
Our annual Ride SMRT 2 Viroqua will be on Thursday, October 5 this year. As usual we will leave the La Crosse area mid-morning and land in Viroqua at about 11. There are several options for return trips (on your own). The SMRT bus costs $3 each way (exact change, pay the driver). There's lots to do in Viroqua and good food to eat. We will invite some elected officials, too. The flyer will be ready soon, but you can sign up now at https://tinyurl.com/SMRT2Viroqua. Registration is not required, but it helps. This event will occur during National Week Without Driving.
La Crosse is gearing up to recognize the first annual National Week Without Driving, October 2-8. We are still 8n planning stages, but we would love to do a Week Without Driving challenge along with other individual events. If your organization, faith group, non-profit, at business would like to get involved, please email us! More details available next month.
People without a car or unable to drive should be able to get to where they need to go safely and effectively. But every day, Americans who can’t drive – approximately 25 percent of the population – face significant barriers to mobility such as inadequate sidewalks, poor transit, lack of connectivity and dangerous roads. The needs of non-drivers are too-often disregarded in transportation infrastructure and policies. Our goal should be a transportation system designed to support all individuals, regardless of ability, age, or income, that will strengthen our communities and enhance our quality of life.
In 2020, Disability Mobility Initiative began documenting the experiences of non-drivers in the State of Washington. In 2021 and 2022, they challenged elected officials and other decision-makers to a Week Without Driving – with profound effects on those who participated. For 2023, Disability Mobility Initiative is partnering with America Walks to take Week Without Driving national.
We are still hoping people will take note of audible stop announcements (or their absence) so we can know if there are particular routes that need to improve ADA compliance. If you remember, please report your experience at https://tinyurl.com/latastoptest
Some other transit-related dates this fall:
* September 15 is PARK(ing) DAY - On this day, activists around the country "park" parks in parking spaces to illustrate the amount of space given to relatively free or low-cost storage for cars. How does this relate to transit? An overabundance of parking is not only costly for communities, including non-drivers, who subsidize car storage and prioritize car storage over higher-value potential development where cars are stored, it also gives people little reason to switch to transit which is cheaper, cleaner, safer, and more climate-friendly.
* September 22 is WORLD CAR-FREE DAY - This United Nations sponsored event reminds people that there are other ways to travel, including low-cost, zero or low-carbon ways, and offers the opportunity to look at the air pollution, traffic deaths, public space use, and community costs our car-centric culture has brought us. UWL will recognize World Car-Free Day
* October is PEDESTRIAN SAFETY MONTH - "NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) is strengthening its efforts to improve safety for pedestrians and other vulnerable road users by suggesting activities and providing sample social media posts and messages, free infographics and other resources. The personal, physical, and environmental benefits of walking can lead to healthier, quieter, cleaner, and safer streets. Walking can also improve local economies and enhance social and community engagement, which can lead to more vibrant, resilient, and livable spaces."
* October 4 is WALK AND ROLL TO SCHOOL DAY - This day highlights the need for communities to ensure safe spaces for school children (and everyone) to walk and roll to school, work, shopping, entertainment, social activities, appointments, and more. While it focuses on the human-powered modes of active transportation, transit is part of the infrastructure that allows people to use active transportation for everything. Transit extends a walker’s and biker's range and is part of the public transportation system that can make private car ownership a luxury rather than a necessity.
Thursday, July 13, 2023
Updates and opportunities
WisDOT is updating its active transportation plan. Comments are due by JULY 14. Find the plan and comment form at https://www.wisdotplans.gov/plan/atp2050
The LATA leaders meeting has been postponed from July 13 to July 20 from 5:30 to 6:30 so people can attend the important July 13 city council meeting at 6 p.m. If you would like to attend the July 20 meeting (online), please email LaCrosseTransitAdvocates@proton.me or call 608-315-2693 for the Zoom link.
The MTU will be at the July 22 Disability Pride Fest from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Copeland Park with one of their new buses with the new Quantum system that lets wheelchair riders lock themselves into place. LATA could not find enough volunteers for a booth, but if you go, consider taking and handing out LATA cards. Email or call to get some.
We are working on an August in-person event, possibly with the MTU. We hope to have a date and location finalized soon and a flyer available by or before August 1.
Please take a little extra time after your next trip to complete the Audible Stop Audit form. The ADA requires major stops on public transit to be announced by voice or recording, but we have found that often there are no announcements and sometimes they are too soft to hear or too late to be of any use. We would like to have some data for the MTU in requesting better adherence to this rule, if needed. The form asks for date, time, bus number, route number, and what stops you actually heard (and whether you could actually hear them). Find the form here: tinyurl.com/LATAStopTest
AMTRAK: Please call Rep. Van Orden (202-225-5506) Tell him that you want him to vote
against cuts to federal funding of passenger rail in the Fiscal Year
2024 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Bill. Please forward this action request to other transit/rail supporters.
Several grassroots initiatives are highlighting the need for seating at transit stops. Where there are no shelters, often there are no seats. If transit wants more choice riders, we must have better accommodations at stops, including seating. Currently, for many, waiting for the bus means sitting on a curb, sidewalk, or even on the boulevard grass. This article is about a group in Denton, Texas that made its own benches from pallets and drops them at stops where seating has been requested. You may remember that Wisconsin Transit Riders Alliance hosted the group, No Bus Cuts Denton, at an online program earlier this year. Here's one about a man who started making simple benches after seeing a woman sitting in the dirt waiting for a bus. And, in this Bloomberg article, a variety of grassroots-built benches are highlighted. Maybe LATA could work on creating some simple bus seating for worthy stops in 2024? What do you think? Just for fun, where would YOU like to see a bus bench? Fill out the form, and we'll report which stops get the most mentions later this year. Share the link: tinyurl.com/LATABenchForm
We are still working on scheduling a fall ride to Viroqua on the SMRT bus. More details will ve available around September 1.
Thursday, June 15, 2023
New buses, new features!
MTU has received two news buses with the rear-facing securement locations where the passenger can secure themselves.
Wheelchair users and others are invited to check it out at a June 29 event in front of the Main Library from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Monday, June 5, 2023
Juneteenth is coming!
Join LATA in celebrating Juneteenth on Sunday, June 18 from 11 to 7 p.m at Riverside Park in La Crosse! We will table at this great event and encourage all transit riders to attend and support this celebration and consideration of Black history, culture, issues, and future. If you can help LATA table, please email us at LaCrosseTransitAdvocates@proton.me and if you can volunteer to help Juneteenth organizers with the event, please sign up at https://bit.ly/LAXJuneteenth23
For details, visit www.juneteenthlaxwi.weebly.com
This report on car access from the National Equity Atlas looks at the roots of transportation inequity and solutions, including good public transit.
Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Request a stop!
The MTU is rolling out an online form that will help them see what important gaps exist in the current system and which new stops might be prioritized going forward.
Is there a spot you can't get to by bus right now? Fill out the form. Woud you take the bus to work or church or play but the bus doesn't go there? Fill out the form!
Not only will this help the MTU see where new stops could be sites, it will also help them talk to businesses, employers, and elected leaders about the need for increased local support for public transit!
Sunday, May 21, 2023
Our trip on the #10
The bus, a partnership between the City of La Crescent and the La Crosse MTU, offers hourly day service between the two cities Mondays through Saturdays. If you live in La Crescent and work on a bus route in La Crosse, you should be able to use this bus for your commute.
After leaving the transit center, the #10 heads straight for the bridge, crossing the pike, past Pettibone Park and the off-road access to the Wagon Wheel bike trail.
We were impressed by the coverage this one route offers, winding through the neighborhoods, through the downtown, past schools and parks, back through downtown, and along the industrial waterfront area before returning directly to the transit center.
We could have gotten off the first time the bus passed through downtown, but we rode the whole loop so had just about one hour to accomplish our second mission, lunch at Kaddy's Kafe, just half a block from the bus stop.
This restaurant was perfect for us; the 10:42 bus arrived at our stop at 11:12, just as Kaddy's was adding its lunch menu to the extensive breakfast offerings. We finished comfortably, with just a few minutes wait for the 12:12 bus (which was actually about five minutes late).
We did participate in the stop announcement audit, too, with only two stops announced (that we could (barely) hear) during either of the rides.
We decided to make this an annual, if not more often, event and hope you can join us next time we go!
Friday, May 19, 2023
La Crosse Needs An Overnight Bus Route
By Kevin Hundt. Cross-posted from Coulee Progressives.
If we're serious about meeting our climate obligations, we need to reduce car use. La Crosse’s new Climate Action Plan states that about ⅓ of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions come from vehicle use, and calls for doubling the use of mass transit to 3% of commuters by 2030.
In order to do that we need to make mass transit as accessible as possible for as many people as possible. But for anyone whose workday starts or ends when buses aren't running (between 10 PM and 5 AM on weekdays or 6 PM and 8 AM on weekends), taking the bus in La Crosse isn't an option. That includes many workers in food service/hospitality, retail, 2nd and 3rd shift manufacturing, etc- in other words, many jobs which are already at the low end of wages. Anyone who works late or early has to either live near enough to their workplace to be able to walk, or drive.
Furthermore, if someone owns a car because they need to have one for one reason, they're going to be more likely to use it for other reasons- why bother learning the bus system or walking ten minutes when the car is right there in the driveway?
We need to take away as many factors that force car ownership as possible, and one straightforward way to do that is to provide a mass transit option for every trip. Overnight service for the MTU fills a services gap for people who need it the most.
In addition, reducing night driving reduces the most dangerous driving- even though only about 25% of vehicle miles are at night,* half of traffic fatalities are at night.**
It's not necessary to provide the full route menu as in daytime hours. Buses running north-south routes on an hourly basis would be at least something, if they target the business areas where workers are most likely to need to reach (such as downtown, the Highway 16 retail area, and several warehouse and factory areas) and go through the bulk of residential areas. One possible loop map is presented below.
* National Household Travel Survey https://nhts.ornl.gov/
** National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Overview of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes in 2021 https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813435 page 17
Thursday, May 11, 2023
May Updates
LATA is collecting some data and you can help. Did you know stop announcements (either recorded or by the driver) are required by the Americans with Disabilities Act? Not every stop must be announced, but it is required for transfer points, major intersections and destinations, and points along a route sufficient to help riders with visual impairments be oriented on the route. We want to know if there are gaps in this important service and you can help. Though the end of this month, when you ride the bus, please pay attention to stop announcments. If you can, note which ones you hear. Fill out the form at https://tinyurl.com/LATAStopTest for every ride you remember to keep track. We'd also like you to note if a stop is unintelligible, too soft to hear, or too late to do any good. Let's see what happens!
Join us on Saturday, May 20 (NOT 21!) for a little trip on the Apple Express. We'll leave the La Crosse Transit Center at 10:42 and land in La Crescent, Minnesota a bit after 11. We'll have lunch together and then return on our own (last hourly service leaves La Crescent at 3:42). There's no official sign up, but you could email LaCrosseTransitAdvocates@proton.me if you have a suggestion for lunch location.
For the past several weeks, Susan Gaeddert of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin has led a Community Transportation Academy at UWL, with a look at many aspects of transportation and advocacy. There will be a program about the academy, including a few local participants, next Wednesday, May 17 at noon. Learn more and register for the link here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYsfu6urTgsHtX3BMmz2PnXO87HT1yW2DRl#/registration
We will table at Juneteenth this year! The Juneteenth event is on Sunday, June 18 at Riverside Park. If you could be at our table for an hour or two, please email or call 608-315-2693. The event begins at noon and ends at 7 p.m. You're going anyway! So, please consider spending some time at the LATA table talking about the importance of public transportation. Please let us know when you are available.
Tuesday, May 2, 2023
Public transit is essential!
A good reminder that public transit is essential for many reasons.
Get out and vote!
#568
The best part about this was what happened right before this photo.
The
clerk who assisted me out the door asked if she could take me to my
car. I said you already did she’s right next to me. Well, that was a
moment. She profusely apologized and happily took a photo to commemorate
this memory.
Saturday, April 29, 2023
Coming soon!
First, please help us do a little CITIZEN SCIENCE by participating in an assessment of stop announcements on the MTU. If you've ever ridden at night or had your view blocked by people or bus wrappers, you know how important an audible signal is to help you know where you are on the route and when you should be ready to exit.
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires fixed route systems to announce stops, "at least at transfer points with other fixed routes, other major intersections and destination points, and intervals along a route sufficient to permit individuals with visual impairments or other disabilities to be oriented to their location. Further, the transit personnel must announce any stop upon request of an individual with a disability."
But, do they? We are going to spend the month of May gathering data to see if the system needs to improve. So, if you can help, please do the following:
Whenever you take the bus during May, please note the route number, bus number, date, time and location of boarding, and every announcement you hear while riding. In addition, sometimes stops are announced after you've passed them or with so little notice as to make it impossible for you to pull the cord before the stop has gone by. Also, sometimes the volume of the automated announcement is so low that you can't really hear it or, if the bus goes over a railroad track or bumpy spot or if there's talking around you, it's hard to hear.
Please help and participate by completing this audit form every time you ride (and remember) in May!
And
LATA will ride the #10 Apple Express to lunch in La Crescent on Saturday, May 21. We'll board at the Grand River Station Transit Center at 10:42 and get to downtown La Crescent a little after 11 a.m. We're looking for some La Crescent transit advocates to meet up with for lunch, and then we'll return (on your own - last bus leaves downtown La Crescent at about 3:12) to the La Crosse Transit Center. There's no official sign up, but if you have a suggestion for best place for a group lunch, please email LaCrosseTransitAdvocates@proton.me
Thursday, April 20, 2023
Intermodal connections or not?
Even though he requested a stop at the airport when he boarded the bus, he had to get off at the industrial park and walk to the airport! And, coming back, even though he called the office to request an airport pick up and was told the bus would stop there, it didn't.
Connecting to the airport and the Amtrak are incredibly important. As we pointed out to Jonathon Stalls when he visited for the Pedestrian Dignity event on Tuesday morning, if you want to take the bus from the train station, you have to either walk several blocks to pick up the #5 or walk across the rocks and tracks and through a yard and back alleyway to catch the #6.
As we anticipate the start of the TCMC second daily bidirectional Amtrak, having a solid bus connection is key.
Have you experienced similar issues? I have done the Amtrak scramble, which is kind of a pain if you have luggage or the weather is bad! Have you tried connecting at the airport or the Amtrak station? Tell us your story!
Monday, April 17, 2023
UPDATE for tomorrow's event!
Bus riders can start at the Bridgeview Plaza stop.
LATA will leave the Transit Center at 9:12 a.m. on the #6. I have some free bus passes, too, so look for a short person with white "Bernie hair" and ask for a pass. See you then!
Friday, April 14, 2023
April opportunities for advocacy!
The 90-minute Pedestrian Dignity Experience in La Crosse will begin at 10 a.m. at The Eagle Watch Area on Rose Street just north of W. Gregory Street.
LATA encourages everyone who is able to attend this event. It's a great chance to discuss sidewalk and pavement conditions (especially crosswalks!), crossing infrastructure (the stress-inducing 5 second crossing light sprint), bus routes and connections with important spaces (this starting site is not adjacent to a bus stop, for example), and more. We can also discuss event timing since the 9:42 bus arrives at the start destination five minutes after the start time!
Please join us on the #6 bus leaving the Grand River Station Transit Center at 9:12 to participate in this important event!
Can you help staff the table? Mostly, it's talking to people about taking the bus--how to figure out the route map, why it's a good thing to do, what you like about being a bus rider. If you can help out for an hour or more, please email LaCrosseTransitAdvocate@proton.me.
We are finalizing another initiative, this one to track the use of audible stop announcements, recorded or called by the driver. Not only are these required by the Americans with Disabilities Act to help blind and visually impaired individuals find their stops, they are also useful for new riders, tourists, and those who might have trouble seeing where the bus is at night (especially buses that have wrappers over the windows and interior lights on) or on a crowded bus. We hope to roll this out later in April or early in May.
Sunday, March 19, 2023
Wis. Association of Rail Passengers Spring Meeting
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Saturday, March 4, 2023
Register now! Transit Advocates Tools and Tactics
 |
Please join us for the Saturday, March 11 meeting on Zoom, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Register for the link here: tinyurl.com/WTRA-031123 and learn more about the program here: WITransitRiders.org/Annual-Meeting.
+++
The March LATA Leaders meeting is being rescheduled because of competing important programming on March 8, International Women's Day. If you are interested in joining us for our March meeting, please email LaCrosseTransitAdvocates@proton.me for the new date and time.
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