Congratulations to Alysa, Sue, Liz, Toni, and Lillian for winning Week Without Driving prizes. Lillian won the grand prize - a semester pass! America Walks hosted its WWD wrap up call on Wednesday. This event has really grown in just a few short years. This year, almost 3,500 individuals and organizations across the country signed up as participants. There are already plans for next year's WWD, September 29 through October 5. LATA will start planning in early 2025. If you have ideas or are interested in helping with this event that highlights the importance of prioritizing non-car options for every day transportation, please contact us at LaCrosseTransitAdvocates@proton.me or 608-315-2693. Again, thanks to all those who participated in the La Crosse area whether you officially signed up or not!
The MTU Board will meet on Tuesday, December 10 at 4 p.m. The meeting is open to the public. See the agenda here: https://cityoflacrosse.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1252295&GUID=EE8A664B-E19F-444A-8F15-60063C125060&Options=info|&Search= To attend via Zoom: https://cityoflacrosse-org.zoom.us/j/81424128085?pwd=5ftYlUgAmDYROJJpzC3MSJ3abaOK4H.1 Meeting ID: 814 2412 8085 Passcode: 147918
LATA Leaders will meet on Zoom for one hour at 5:30 on Wednesday, December 11. We will talk about Feb. 4 Transit Equity Day programming, how to engage candidates for mayor and city council about transit, Ride with a Guide, accessibility, and plans for the new year. Please email or call us for access information if you would like to participate or if you have suggestions.
At the November meeting of Citizens with Disabilities, snow shoveling was discussed, including who is responsible for what. In La Crosse, the Park Department clears roads and sidewalks in city parks, the city plows city streets, and MTU is responsible for clearing bus stops and shelters, even if they get plowed back in by the city. As this Streetsblog article notes, “More Cities are Taking Responsibility for Clearing Sidewalks of Snow.” In La Crosse, where up to 40% of adults are non-drivers, shoveling off responsibility for sidewalks and bus stops to other entities may not be a fair use of public resources.
The MTU's new AVL (Automatic Vehicle Location) app will not be available at the beginning of January as hoped. They are working to get it online as quickly as possible. The new system will have more features and options, combining bus location with fare purchases, and trip planning.
The La Crosse Area Planning Committee is still accepting public input about its Metropolitan Transportation Plan update. Find the link to the survey and more information at https://www.lacrossecounty.org/metropolitan-planning-organization/planning-and-programming/metropolitan-transportation-plan
Governor Evers' Budget Listening Tour was in La Crosse on Wednesday and they will host an online session on Monday, December 16 at 4 p.m. Transit advocates are encouraged to attend and speak up for
- putting public transportation back in the transportation budget (it was removed to the general fund by the legislature during the last budget process),
reestablishing Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs), removed by the state legislature in 2011, so regional entities can have taxing authority to grow and strengthen a useful network of regional public transit, and
shifting the transportation budget to prioritize transit and active transportation projects.
Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUtduqpqTgoE9Pizvu2wqHuwv84YCkT_OdI#/registration and if you can't attend, you may submit written comments and budget suggestions at the governor's comment page here: https://wi.accessgov.com/public/Forms/Page/governor/voice-an-opinion/0
Alas, Transportation for America will not host its Transportation Camp in 2025 due to scheduling, logistics, and costs.
If you want to get involved in sharing ideas with others, pushing for better transit, and envisioning a transit-friendly future, please join La Crosse Area Transit Advocates! In addition, the Wisconsin Sierra Club has a statewide transportation access and equity team. And the Wisconsin Association of Rail Passengers works on improving and expanding rail access in our state and regions. There may be more options to engage, education, and advocate coming in 2025. Stay tuned!
Please share this information with others. And Take the Bus!
Some food for thought:
Talking Headways podcast - Educating the Next Generation of Transit Riders
Can ‘Transit-Oriented Entertainment’ Help End the National Ridership Decline? Unlock Your City (Streetsblog article)
Culture, Structure, and Public Transportation by Karen Sternheimer in Everyday Sociology Blog
How are the Dutch using trains to create a megacity? | Navigating Urban Transit with George Liu (10 minutes on YouTube)
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