Rail Passengers Meeting

The Wisconsin Association of Rail Passengers (WisARP) Fall meeting will be held in Madison on October 25th.  Details are below.  

This meeting will be a hybrid meeting, you can either attend in person or via Zoom.

If you are attending in person, you can either register online at 

https://reg.planetreg.com/E910115923160741  (Payment is made via PayPal.  You can pay by credit card via PayPal even if you do not have a PayPal account.)

or you can use the form here and pay by check.  Early registration ends October 20th.  The registration fee goes from $35 to $50 on October 21st.

If you are planning to attend via Zoom (no charge), a registration link will be sent out in a few days.

_____

Wisconsin Association of Railroad Passengers

Fall General Membership Meeting

October 25, 2025

Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, Madison, Wisconsin

Tentative Agenda
9:00 a.m. Coffee, Pastries
10:00 a.m. – Noon Speakers

Speakers will include

• Rich Kedzior, Passenger Rail Implementation Manager, WisDOT
• Debby Jackson, Executive Director, Transportation Development Association, Madison
• Satya Conway-Rhodes, Mayor, City of Madison
• John Parkyn, WisARP President
• Susan Foote-Martin, WisARP VP-Communication

Noon Lunch
1:00 p.m. – 2:45p.m. Speakers
2:45 p.m. Elections
3:00 p.m. Adjournment

Register today! You can register online at https://reg.planetreg.com/E910115923160741
Or Mail the coupon at the form here to: 

Mark Weitenbeck
3385 S. 119th St.
West Allis, WI 53227-3943

Fee $35 ($50 after October 20th) 

Youth (age 22 and under) $5

Make checks payable to WisARP. For questions, 414-541-1112 or email weitenbeck@sbcglobal.net

Bingo!

You're in luck if you have a bingo card and forgot to turn it in. I will be picking up Bingo cards on FRIDAY AFTERNOON after 3 p.m. from the Transit Center and the La Crosse Public Library, so you still have time to turn yours in! Get it in by 3 p.m. Friday to be included in the drawing to win a prize! We have some great prizes this year including

• MTU donated pass (adult or youth) 
• Wrench & Roll donated bike tune-up 
• Wrench & Roll donated tandem bike rent
• Disability Action Network donated gift card for Ardie's Flipside Pub & Grill
• LATA donated gift card for Pearl Street Books 
• 
  
  Bike helmet
• Books
• Water bottles
• Rain gear 
  
  
  

Lost your bingo card? No problem! Download and print one here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ANFItFw5hTm54H45wKr_D9F66dHYIDzH/view?usp=drive_link

 

Save the SMRT

We have a new page: https://lacrosseata.blogspot.com/p/save-smrt.html where we will update information about plans for the SMRT system. Please check it out and do what you can!

This page will have links, info, and updates about the potential ending of SMRT service and how transit advocates can encourage decision-makers to keep it.

We will update as new information is available.

For now, sign the petition at https://tinyurl.com/savethesmrt

Download one to print and circulate at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe9w0vB3BWBA3bAF7ih5dqw0broTMK7Kg1HWNoag0uAMW3XVw/viewform?usp=preview

In addition to signing the petition, 

• contact your COUNTY BOARD REPRESENTATIVES (copy the La Crosse County Board if you live in a different county)
• if you are SMRT commuter, contact your workplace
• ask any groups you belong to to write a letter of SMRT support to the La Crosse County Board (if you live in a different county, copy YOUR county board)
• Consider writing a letter to the editor of your local paper. La Crosse Tribune letters must be 250 words or fewer. Submit one online at https://lacrossetribune.com/forms/contact/letter_to_the_editor or email it to letters@lacrossetribune.com. If you email your letter, include your name and address (not for publication). This site has clear advice about writing a letter to the editor: https://reclaimdemocracy.org/effective_letters_editor/

Check out the action page for more info including opportunities for public input.

Week Without Driving is HERE!

WEEK WITHOUT DRIVING is a way for us to consider what life could be like if our plans, our priorities, our public space, our budgets were managed with ALL people, including up to a third of our neighbors, in mind.

Check out the event page at https://tinyurl.com/WWDLaCrosse for all the events and details. Here are some special notes about events and actions you can take this week and going forward to make life accessible for everyone--children going to the library, workers going to a job, seniors going to the doctor,  going to class, someone with a disability going to lunch with friends, someone who can't afford a car going to the park with their kids.

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AND ASK HER/HIM TO RIDE THE BUS WITH YOU and tell them your personal transportation story. So far, only ONE city council rep. has signed up to ride with non-drivers and/or bus advocates. You can find your council person and contact information here: https://www.cityoflacrosse.org/your-government/city-council/city-council-members  If you are not sure which district you are in, here's the current Aldermanic Districts map. Especially if you are a non-driver, your experience and telling your story to decision-makers is VERY important!

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR COUNTY BOARD REPRESENTATIVE AND ASK HER/HIM TO RIDE THE BUS WITH YOU, too. So far,only ONE county board rep has signed up to ride during WWD. Your county board rep can be found here:  https://lacrossecounty.org/countyboard/members  While the MTU is a city-run service, it also serves some surrounding communities but not all. Most importantly, the MTU is not great at serving regional transportation connections like the airport (only limited weekday hours and you have to request a route deviation) and Amtrak (no service within 1/4 mile of the station). In addition, some important workplace/business areas have very limited service including the industrial parks. 

Electeds may sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/wwdlaxleaderridesignup

PLEASE SIGN OUR "SAVE THE SMRT" PETITION! Sign the online form OR download, print, and circulate a paper petition. DEADLINE: OCTOBER 28.

On September 8 at a La Crosse County Board planning meeting, the La Crosse County Administrator presented a plan to cut the SMRT bus at the end of 2025 citing "low ridership" and budget deficits. We are gathering more information about the process but, at this time, we believe not enough information and marketing has been done over the past several years to let people know there even IS a SMRT bus system, not enough public outreach has been done to invite riders' thoughts, and not enough research has been done about possible other funding sources and other transportation options. 

If you are interested in helping to organize, collect information, reach out to decision-makers about this, please contact LATA. 

Remember to Fill Out Your WWD Bingo card to be entered into a prize drawing. Also, those who take the national WWD survey may be entered into a prize drawing.

Week Without Driving - coming soon!

WEEK WITHOUT DRIVING IS COMING SOON!

If you are able, join us at City Hall on Tuesday, September 23 at 9 a.m. when we'll hold a press event to officially kick-off Week Without Driving (WWD) in La Crosse. 

The Week itself won't start until October 28, but we want to give people time to think about signing up for the WWD experience (spending a week without driving a car), and to plan their trips. We also wanted to avoid Oktoberfest (Sept. 25 through 28).

La Crosse Mayor Shaundel Washington-Spivey will speak along with the MTU's Adam Lorentz and a stellar line-up of local non-drivers. The event should end by 9:30.

Please come if you can and show your support for WWD and for better transportation options and access for everyone!

Check out the WWD La Crosse web page at https://tinyurl.com/WWDLaCrosse for more details.

Here's a flyer for you to share. More versions are available at the web page. 

 

RED ALERT - SMRT

At the September 8 La Crosse County Planning Committee meeting, County Associate Administrator Sara Koopman recommended ending the Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit system at the end of 2025. 

There is a current budget shortfall (I don't think the cause was noted) and ridership is declining over the past two years. Among the 13 daily buses, three to Tomah, three to Prairie du Chien, and seven to Viroqua, there's been an average of 33 riders per day. 

Emplify (formerly Gundersen) employees make up the largest group of riders. Emplify is one of the business sponsors of SMRT. Other riders include workers and patients of Mayo, WTC and UWL students and fac/staff, members of the Amish communities, those going to the Amtrak station, youth, older people, and families. Some SMRT riders do not drive cars.

The SMRT system started in December 2012. This site provides a brief account of its origins. And here (at 36:55) is Peter Fletcher, at the time, head of the La Crosse Area Planning Committee, talking about the SMRT at the 2022 annual meeting of the Wisconsin Transit Riders Alliance.

We don't have the Sept. 8 presentation recording link yet but will post it when it's available.

Low and falling ridership and the high per-rider cost were provided as reasons to end the service. There was no research presented about why ridership was declining (Might fare increases in 2024 and 2025 have played a role?)

LATA has been promoting SMRT for several years including hosting group rides. Over the past couple of years, our group has sent suggestions to SMRT administrators to improve the rider experience, marketing, rider information, and infrastructure. To be honest, the system is not set up to invite new riders. In La Crosse, some pick up spots are not marked or the wrong spot is marked. There's little information on SMRT signs about which buses come when and where they go. There's no route map. There's little information about how to request a special drop off or how to find out if the bus is delayed. We don't know what kind of outreach has been done to employers, but we have not seen any local or social media advertising for SMRT. We don't know what outreach is being done to encourage regional economic development groups, tourism groups, and others to co-sponsor.

For older riders and those with disabilities, there are other options, but these are clunky, sometimes requiring that you set up a ride a day or more in advance, and expensive. On our group rides on the SMRT, we've encountered older people and their grandchildren going to visit family members or going to medical appointments, youth going to jobs, students going to classes, nondriving elders going shopping, Amish families going to the Amtrak station, and patients going for treatments. Without the SMRT, they will need to rely on less safe private car travel if they can get a ride from a friend or family member, or just skip the trip.

Earlier this year, Delta airlines required a large payment to consider bringing a route back to the La Crosse Regional Airport, a facility where other airlines already provide service. The county coughed up $250,000 for this fund with little discussion. 

The La Crosse Area Planning Committee is currently doing a study of Regional Transit Authorities, banned in Wisconsin since the Walker administration, and other options for funding and operating regional public transit. This move to end our regional transit before these options have been examined and, it seems, without considering other operating models or possibilities, seems premature.

There will be a presentation about the RTA study at the September 11 Committee on Transit and Active Transportation meeting at 3:30 p.m. in person and online (view agenda and access link here: https://www.lacrossecounty.org/docs/default-source/metropolitan-planning-organization/ctat-9-11-25-agenda-packet.pdf?sfvrsn=e58c849e_1) 

Please consider contacting your county board representative and letting her/him/them know that you believe regional public transit is an essential service and that the county should do more to identify ways to increase sponsorship and ridership, should do more to seek temporary funds to fill current gaps, should do more to improve outreach and marketing, and should do more to center low-income riders and nondrivers in transportation decisions.

This is exactly the reason we are promoting Week Without Driving, September 29-October 5. Most times, decisions about transportation projects, priorities, and budgets are made by drivers with (only) drivers in mind. A 14 year old needs to get around. A family that can't afford a car needs to get around. A person who can't get a driver's license needs to get around. Businesses need employees. We need to reduce the numbers of private vehicles spewing emissions, pollution, and plastic particles. We need safer, less expensive transportation options for rural residents.

We will post more about the timeline for making the final decision as soon as we can. For now, please contact your county board representative and ask them to protect regional public transportation. Find out who that is here: https://www.lacrossecounty.org/countyboard/members

And, consider signing up for the Transit 2 Trails ride from La Crosse to Coon Valley on the SMRT bus as part of Week Without Driving on Tuesday morning, September 30 (sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/crsct2twwd

And consider signing up to watch FREE TO RIDE at the La Crosse Public Library on Tuesday, September 20 at 5 p.m.

September Updates

We are still hoping to find a few volunteers to help with back to school tabling at Viterbo (8/28), Western Technical College (9/2), and UWL (9/3). If you can spare an hour or so to help promote public transit to students, please sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/fall2latavol

Thanks to those who attended and helped with our August 13 Transit Talk and Treats event. Thank you, People's Food Co-op, for the great space and for donating a fruit tray. Thanks to Pearl Street Books, Markos Apparel, and Larson's General for donating door prizes! We were able to talk to Tom & Tom from MTU about the new app, detours, plans for the future, and more. The La Crosse Area Planning Committee (LAPC) had information about their work (see below). We enjoyed sharing ideas and meeting fellow transit users and advocates.

 

The LAPC is accepting comments on its draft 2025 update of the Metropolitan Transportation Plan through September 16. They did two public info sessions in August. You can view the slides from the public programs, read the draft plan, and learn how to comment at https://www.lacrossecounty.org/metropolitan-planning-organization/planning-and-programming/metropolitan-transportation-plan They are also working with SRF Consulting on a feasibility study of establishing a Regional Transit Authority for our area. More information will be published at their site as it's available. https://www.lacrossecounty.org/metropolitan-planning-organization/planning-and-programming/modal-planning

ALERT: The Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit (SMRT) bus service is experiencing budget issues and needs our support and advocacy. We don't have details yet, but the issue will probably become more clear as the county starts talking about its budget. SMRT is a miracle regional transit system in a state that forbids regional transit authorities. LATA has advocated for better marketing and rider information in past years to improve commuter participation and use of the service by other groups. If you use the SMRT or support the SMRT for transportation equity and/or climate action, please stay tuned for more. Ask your County Board representative to keep you up to date on the SMRT. We will provide more information when we can.

The MTU Board met on August 19 to approve contracts for the coming year with postsecondary institutions and other municipalities. The cost for a year pass per student is about $1 per month. It was disappointing to see no upgrades to service for Onalaska or French Island. Woodmans, the airport, and the industrial parks near the airport as not well served by transit with limited weekday only service. More advocacy is needed! On the plus side, they continue to update their fleet, and newer buses have Scroll screens and clear audible stop announcements. Some even have audible bus ID when you board! aIn addition they are fixing up bus shelters and will be installing Solar lighting at 11 of them.

LATA Leaders will meet on Wednesday, September 10 at 6:30 online. Our main agenda items will be reviewing the August 13 event and planning for Week Without Driving (WWD), September 29 through October 5. If you would like to join the meeting, please reply to this email for access information. We keep our meetings to one hour at the most.

The LAPC's Committee on Transit and Active Transportation is scheduled to meet on Thursday, September 11 at 3:30 p.m. in person at the county's administration building and online. For more information about the committee and its agendas, visit https://www.lacrossecounty.org/metropolitan-planning-organization/committees/committee-on-transit-and-active-transportation

 We are still open to more co-sponsors for WWD. If your group, club, office, business, agency, or organization is interested, please fill out this form: https://tinyurl.com/wwdlaxcosponsor Co-sponsors help promote the event and encourage their contacts to participate. If they want, co-sponsors may donate a prize for WWD Bingo and/or host a WWD event or activity.

We will have information about La Crosse area WWD specifics in early September. Several events are planned including a kick-off press event, a display at the public library, a panel discussion of non-drivers, a film and discussion at the library, a bus ride with local leaders, a SMRT Transit 2 Trails ride to Coon Valley, and more. You can learn more about the event in general at https://weekwithoutdriving.org. You can also sign up for the WWD Experience--pledge to try a week without driving and journal your experience—at that site as well. For those who don't feel they can sign up for the week experience, we will have a WWD Bingo card (with prizes) to help you participate.

We will do another update later in September when WWD details are finalized. Please consider supporting this important event and participating however you can. If you can try the experience, help spread the word, talk to your city council and county board representatives about how we support and serve non-drivers, and/or attend one or more WWD events, it will help promote more discussion about accessible transportation options in our community.

Please consider officially joining LATA here: https://tinyurl.com/joinlata to help us grow and have a stronger voice for public transit. 

Tuesday MTU Board Meeting

 

The MTU Board Meeting will be held in the Grandad Room at City Hall on Tuesday, August 19th at 4 pm.

 

Members of the public who would like to provide written comments may do so by emailing lorentza@cityoflacrosse.org or mailing the MTU, 2000 Marco Dr, La Crosse WI 54601.

 

Agenda:

https://cityoflacrosse.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=1331524&GUID=2BA6E547-2384-4EF7-8FE1-F01216CE65DA

 

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://cityoflacrosse-org.zoom.us/j/88965216863?pwd=wFdt4qbbQDpQ1FGM5Oix1KP33kmKIE.1

 

Meeting ID: 889 6521 6863

Passcode: 422997

Amtrak Sale - book by 8/20

Amtrak Fall Sale

Book by 8/20. Up to 25% off. Travel from Sept. 3 - Nov. 13. "Combine this offer with any of our everyday discounts--seniors, students, kids and groups can save even more." Picture of blue and silver Amtrak Train rolling through fall colors along a green river valley. 

Public comments on Transportation plan update

Today is the start of a 30-day public comment period for the La Crosse Area Planning Committee's (LAPC) draft long-range Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Moving Ahead to 2055.

The comment period will conclude on September 16, 2025, at 5 p.m., with the LAPC Policy Board reviewing and approving the plan the following day at its September 17, 2025 meeting at 4:30 p.m. 

For more information and to access the Plan and its appendices, please visit: 

https://www.lacrossecounty.org/metropolitan-planning-organization/planning-and-programming/metropolitan-transportation-plan

Come and learn more and provide input about Moving Ahead to 2055 at one of two public open houses: 

First Open House:
Monday, August 18 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Town of Onalaska Town Hall, N5589 Commerce Road, Onalaska, WI 54650.

Second Open House:
Tuesday, August 19 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the La Crosse County Administration Building, Room 1107, 212 6th St N, La Crosse, WI 54601. This open house is accessible by Downtown MTU bus service.

For those who cannot make it in-person, can attend the second open house virtually on August 19 from 4 to 6 p.m., to ask any questions. Any person may access this meeting utilizing the following options.

Option 1: Use the link below to join the TEAMS meeting on your desktop/laptop/phone to stream audio, video or both. If you do not have TEAMS on your desktop/laptop/phone, after you activate the link “Click here to join the meeting” you will have to follow several prompts to join the meeting.

Join the meeting now
Meeting ID: 224 190 802 908 8
Passcode: 4Gv9C3GV

Option 2: Dial in by phone (audio only)
+1 262-683-8845,,841117613# 
United States, Allenton

Find a local number
Phone conference ID: 841 117 613#

Comments may be submitted directly to Erin Duffer at eduffer@lacrossecounty.org or through our Send Us Your Comments page.

If you need special accommodation or translation into another language to view LAPC plans or programs, please contact Erin Duffer at 608-785-5597.

Yog tias koj xav tau kev pab tshwj xeeb lossis txhais ua lwm hom lus kom pom LAPC cov phiaj xwm lossis phiaj xwm, thov hu rau Erin Duffer ntawm 608-785-5597.

Si necesita adaptaciones especiales o traducción a otro idioma para ver los planes o programas de LAPC, comuníquese con Erin Duffer al 608-785-5597.

Erin Duffer, AICP (she/her)

Transportation Planner

La Crosse Area Planning Committee, MPO

Phone: 608-785-5597

eduffer@lacrossecounty.org

Speak up for transit

From 1000 Friends of Wisconsin:

Time Sensitive: Speak Up for Transit

The US Department of Transportation has opened a request for information for the next surface transportation reauthorization. This is an opportunity for individuals and coalitions who support transit to submit letters and comments. Comments must be submitted by August 20 or sooner.

Alliance for a Just Society has created a toolkit (linked here), including a template that is able to be customized and submitted. For assistance, contact Stevie Pasamonte, at the Alliance for a Just Society.

August updates

Join us on August 13 at Transit Talk and Treats from 4 to 6 p.m. at the La Crosse People's Food Co-op for some some food, talk, and door prizes. Representatives from the La Crosse MTU, the SMRT bus, and the La Crosse Area Planning Committee will be there to let us know what's new and to listen to our ideas and feedback. We will have refreshments and door prizes, too. A flyer is attached. Please help us spread the word on social media. This is a great opportunity to connect and advocate for better public transit in our area!

LATA Leaders will not meet in August, but we are looking for a few volunteers to help us table at upcoming student back-to-school events on August 28 from 1 to 3:30 at Viterbo, on September 2 from 11:30 to 1:30 at Western Technical College, and on September 3 from 10 a.m to 1 p.m. at UWL. You can sign up at the August 13 event, sign up online at https://tinyurl.com/LATA-Fall25-B2STabling or reply to this email. Our next meeting will be September 10 at 6:30. Anyone is welcome to join us! Email for access information.

The city's Bike-Ped Advisory Committee (remember, transit is pedestrian infrastructure!) meets in person (Miller Room, City Hall) and online on the second Tuesday of every month and is open to the public. The August meeting will be at 8:30 a.m. on August 12 and the agenda with access information will be available at their web page: https://tinyurl.com/bpaclacrosse

The MTU Board will meet on August 19 at 4 p.m. in person and online. The agenda and access information will be published at the committee's web page when it is finalized: https://tinyurl.com/mtuboard.

The Mayor is hosting a series of community roundtables starting with one on August 21 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the La Crosse Center. This is a great opportunity to talk about schedules, routes, seating at stops, ADA accessibility, an other transit-related ideas. Learn more and register for the event at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YLGZGZP

If you were not able to attend the recent public input session about the WisDOT corridor studies for Highways 53 and 14/61, you can still provide input. Are there accommodations like pullouts at or safe crossing near bus stops? Visit the project's public involvement page at https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/533516-lacrosse/us53us1461-pi.aspx

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) invites the public to review and share comments on the agency’s 2025 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan to help its efforts to continually improve accessibility throughout the state highway system including roadside facilities, navigability within public rights of way and public input processes. Per federal law, the transition plan is regularly maintained with opportunities for public input. As suggested by Wisconsin Transit Riders Alliance secretary, Susan DeVos, should accessible bathrooms at transit centers or seating at bus stops be required? What other accommodations should be considered? Please provide feedback by August 31 using this online form: https://tinyurl.com/wisdotadasurvey

Gil Penalosa's Cities for Everyone webinar series will feature Janette Sadik-Khan, Former NYC DOT Commissioner. currently with Bloomberg Cities, chair NACTO, and chair ITDP in a program called Street Fight – Handbook for an Urban Revolution on Tuesday, August 5 at 10 a.m. online. Learn more, get links to past webinars, and register here: https://cities4everyone.ca/webinar/

We are still looking for co-sponsors for Week Without Driving, September 29 through October 5. Co-sponsors will have their names and/or logos on event materials and help spread the word and encourage their contacts to participate by signing up for the WWD experience or filling in a WWD Bingo Card. Please fill out this form asap if you would like to be a co-sponsor! https://tinyurl.com/wwdlax-cosponsor.

Please consider officially joining LATA to help us grow and increase our outreach. You can use the join form at https://tinyurl.com/joinlata  

August 13 - Transit Talk and Treats

Calling all bus riders, public transit advocates, urbanists, climate activists, non-drivers, and people interested in better, safer, cleaner transportation options in our area!

• Meet & greet like-minded community members. Strengthen our network of active transportation advocates.
• Talk with representatives from the MTU, SMRT bus, and La Crosse Area Planning Committee. Learn what's new and share your experiences and ideas.
• Refreshments provided! 
• Door prizes including transit passes and transit riders' essentials.
• Music! (still working on it!)

Please share this invitation with others! Download, print, and post a .pdf flyer. Use this .jpg flyer to share on social media.

Contact LATA with questions or for more information!

July updates

Here are a few things that might be of interest.

LATA Leaders will meet on Wednesday, July 9 at 6:30 p.m. online. If you would like to join, please reply to this email. We'll be focusing on planning a transit advocates gathering this summer and planning for Week Without Driving (WWD) this fall.

MTU buses appear to be almost all connected to the new Transit app so you can see where your bus is in real time. Unfortunately, you can only view one route at a time so if you are planning to switch buses outside of the usual transfer points, you'll have to switch back and forth to see what bus is where. Do you have thoughts on the new app? Feedback on the new app is one of the things we hope to include in a summer transit advocates gathering.

The MTU ADA Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, July 8 at 5:30 p.m. in the Grandad Room at City Hall and on Zoom, but confirmation hasn't been sent yet. These meetings are open to the public. If you would like to attend, please contact Tim Koterwski at the MTU or email us for the Zoom link.

MTU Director Adam Lorentz is scheduled to be at this month's Citizens with Disabilities meeting, Thursday, July 10 at 9 a.m. The meeting will be held in the Hedgehog Room at City Hall and online. It is open to the public. The agenda is not posted yet. The Zoom link will be on the agenda. Find it at https://cityoflacrosse.legistar.com/DepartmentDetail.aspx?ID=42236&GUID=5C1B4DD4-92F5-4DF8-8681-8023B1556EE7

The La Crosse Area Planning Committee's Committee on Transit and Active Transportation will meet on Thursday, July 10 at 3:30 p.m. in person Room 2106 of the County Administrative Building (6th & State) and online. The agenda includes a report on a Regional Transit Authority study (alas, RTAs were not included in the budget Gov. Evers recently signed) and discussion of LAPC participation in Week Without Driving.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation will hold a public input meeting as part of its US 53 & US 14/61 Corridor Study on Wednesday, July 16 from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. at the Black River Beach Neighborhood Center. Learn more and get a link to comment online at https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/533516-lacrosse/us53us1461.aspx

The folks at America Walks, national sponsors of Week Without Driving, have been holding monthly webinars on different ways transit advocates, nonprofits, schools, government agencies, businesses, and more can use WWD to spread the word about their services, products, priorities. The next webinar is on July 9 at 1 p.m. and it will deal with rural transit. You can see the schedule of coming webinars and get links to view past ones at https://weekwithoutdriving.org/events/

America Walks is doing a research study with UC Davis on the importance of elevating non-drivers' experiences in transportation discussions. They are looking for non-drivers to interview as part of the project. There is a stipend for those who are chosen. If you cannot drive and would like to be considered, please fill out the form at https://forms.gle/bBDfY4h2EKs2aUtn8

You may have seen that the Borealis continues to overperform expectations, serving 222,475 passengers during the first full 12 months of operation (June 1, 2024 - May 31, 2025), as reported by the Wisconsin Association of Rail Passengers. They also note, “Since March 26, 2025, train capacity has been reduced approximately 20-25% due to a rail coach shortage (we're tracking it). We recommend avoiding peak days (Friday and Sunday) if possible. Sellouts are more likely on those days.”

The budget bill signed by the Governor a few days ago was disappointingly lacking in transit improvements, despite heavy lobbying by citizen groups.. As reported by Wisconsin Transit Riders Alliance secretary Susan DeVos, “It appears that aside from a 10% funding increase to local Paratransit funding for FY 2026, funding for Mass Transit Aids and Passenger Rail Operating Assistance will remain at FY 2025 base levels.”

During debate on the budget, Sen Jeff Smith (District 31 – Chippewa Valley) supported an amendment that included authorization of RTAs which failed on party lines. The Governor did not elevate RTAs in his negations, either. Sen Smith's leadership on Regional Transportation Authorities should be recognized. You can send him a note of appreciation for this effort and for uplifting how important RTAs are: https://legis.wisconsin.gov/senate/31/smith/contact/contact-me/

We are still looking for co-sponsors for La Crosse Area Week Without Driving (Sept. 29 – Oct. 5), including faith groups, businesses, non-profits, organizations, clubs, school groups, and service agencies. Co-sponsors help spread the word, encourage their contacts to participate, and, if they want, host a related activity or event. If you'd like more information, contact us. If you'd like to co-sponsor, please complete this form at your earliest convenience: https://forms.gle/gyon1uYL77Hb3mXw6

Check out this Project Drawdown webinar by Cameron Roberts about Low-Carbon Mobility - False Solutions, Partial Solutions and a Full Solution. https://youtu.be/2DOPLdE8mZw?feature=shared

 

June updates

The Transit Talk event we are working with MTU has been pushed to July as has the MTU Board meeting. No details yet. 

 

 The City is hosting two "Zoning 101" information sessions about its work to update zoning codes. There are zoning changes that can encourage transit and make transit safer and more efficient. If you can, consider attending the session TONIGHT at 6 p.m. at 401 West Ave. S (take the #2 OR the C2 Circulator) or on June 23 at 6:30 p.m. at First Congregational Church, Losey & Main (take the #4). This is a good place to learn more and advocate for better zoning for transit and Transit Oriented Development. Visit https://forwardlacrosse.org/ for more information.

LATA leaders are still meeting on the second Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. We haven't yet found another day and time but we're still trying! If you would like to attend the June LATA meeting (June 11 at 5:30 p.m. online), please email us = LaCrosseTransitAdvocates at proton.me

We are starting to schedule some back to school tabling in the fall. We will be at Western Tech's Resource Block Party on September 2.

There are a couple of public transit related Youth Climate Action Fund projects in the pipeline. We'll know more and report on these soon.

Week Without Driving planning continues. If your faith group, organization, business, or group would like to be a cosponsor and/or offer a program or activity during the week (September 29 through October 5), please use this form: https://tinyurl.com/LaXWWDCoSponsor  If possible, please complete the form by the end of June.

If you are hosting an event, please consider exchanging Where to Park information with HOW TO GET HERE information and prioritize bus/bike at the top. It seems like a small thing, but including information about taking the bus reminds people that the bus is an option. (If it isn't, maybe you should have your event someplace else!) Encouraging public/active transportation can also reduce parking stress. This article, How to use campaigns and marketing to encourage sustainable transport choices, from C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, provides more examples and ideas. https://www.c40knowledgehub.org/s/article/How-to-use-campaigns-and-marketing-to-encourage-sustainable-transport-choices?language=en_US

Construction and Detours

Reminder: There will be no bus service on Memorial Day Monday, May 26th.

This year's road construction is causing delays in car and bus travel! It's especially affecting the Route 5. Here are some notices about detours and options from the MTU. Note that MTU and Drift Link Public Transit (Onalaska-Holmen-West Salem Shared Ride) are coordinating even more than usual with special return transfers for those needing to get to the Target area from Valley View Mall. 

You can always set up a transfer ahead of time by phone or online from MTU to Drift Link. The transfer point is the #5 stop at Valley View Mall. Transfers are limited to Drift Link service hours and will get you to points in the City Limits of Onalaska, Village of Holmen, and Village of West Salem. Normally, for the return ride, you pay the Drift Link fare to get back to the Mall to transfer back to the MTU, $3.00 - $4.50, depending on age, ability, and status, but there's a special transfer for Target rides during this construction period.

If you have questions about any of these changes, please ask your driver or call 608-789-7350.

Route 8 Crossing Meadows - For the duration of the Highway 16 construction project, bus stops on Hemstock Street will be demand response only during MTU office hours M-F, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please tell your driver that you want to be dropped off there OR CALL MTU at 608-789-7350 to get picked up there.

Ride SMRT but more smart is needed

Yesterday, we did our annual May Day SMRT 2 Viroqua ride. There were only three of us on this trip and the weather was a bit drizzly, but it was well worth the trip. Both buses I rode on were almost brand new! It was so great to have a much smoother ride (part of that is also due to road work done in 2024). Alas, there is no wifi on the buses now. The La Crosse to Viroqua bus had an American flag pinned up over where the wifi password used to be. The return bus had nothing. The return driver noted that wifi is difficult in that terrain and never seemed to work well anyway. This is true! Neigher bus had a bike rack either, though if you bring a bike, they will put it inside the bus. I didn't bring my bike on this ride as planned because of the drizzle.

Both rides were smooth and on time. The drivers have a tablet that tells them when to be at each time-point stop and this seems to work well. 

There were some new and ongoing challenges:

We learned that the Vernon Memorial Hospital stop was changed in November, but no one has noted this on the schedules or website at RideSMRT.com. Had we not learned about the change from our morning driver, we might have missed the return bus. While there is a sign on the door of the hospital (that someone waiting for the bus might not even notice), there's nothing on the sign that says where to go to catch the bus! Fortunately, our morning driver told us where to stand (on Hickory Street just south of the hospital between (Kwik Trip is on the south side of the street). There is no "CATCH THE SMRT HERE" sign anywhere near there.

The UWL stop continues to be a puzzle. There's a SMRT sign in the shelter by Newman Center (south side of State Street near the Campbell Road intersection) and the schedule says "State St - Cartwright Center" but there's not SMRT sign on the north side of State Street which is where the westbound SMRT would pick up. It would be nice if they could place as sign exactly where the bus picks up on State Street (I caught it just at the 17th & State Stop sign in front of Wing.)

The Western TC stop (on the east side of 7th Street at the MTU shelter) is well marked as is the Mayo stop (MTU shelter outside the hospital). The stop at Gundersen Lutheran - outside the East Building - is not marked, and with people dropping off and picking up patients there, you may have to stand in the road to see the bus and make sure the driver sees you.

Despite these glitches, the ride is great and very worthwhile. This bus especially, mid-morning to Viroqua - is often relatively empty and is a great opportunity for folks to go shopping and eating for the afternoon. With four return options (from 12:15 to 3:40 leave times), you can just do some quick shopping or make an afternoon of it.

LATA will do another SMRT ride this fall.

May Updates

First, join us on MAY 1 for a SMRT 2 Viroqua trip. Leave La Crosse mid-morning. Arrive in Viroqua at about 11 a.m. Enjoy Viroqua’s sights, history, shops, and food, and return on your own to La Crosse. The cost:is $5 cash (exact change) each way paid to bus driver. Catch the bus at UWL, WTC, 5th & King, Mayo, Gundersen Health, or Shopko South. Four return options get you back to La Crosse between 1:30 and 5:00 p.m. Check the yellow and blue schedules at schedule at the SMRT website: https://ridesmrt.com/assets/PDF/SMRT-Bus-Sched.pdf  If you want, register here: https://tinyurl.com/lata2Viroqua

In April, LATA tabled at the Earthapalooza at UWL and asked people stopping by our table to play, "Can I Get There with Public Transit?" The answers were surprising to some! We also let folks know about our advocacy work with local leaders, our group rides like the coming trip to Viroqua, and our ride with a guide program. Thank you Obbie, RoZie and Cathy for staffing the table! 

The MTU had a presence at the La Crosse Earth Fair on Sunday, April 27. They displayed one of the hybrid buses and seemed to have a great stream of interested people of all age ranges visiting throughout the day. They also had free fares on Fair day. Switching from fossil fuel car travel to bus travel, no matter what fuel the bus is using, is a great way to reduce transportation emissions!

The Tranist app is out but the AVL (vehicle locator) is still not hooked up. How do you like it? Please feed back by leaving a comment or emailing us. We have a range of reactions and would like to hear yours!

The MTU ADA Advisory Committee is still looking for members. The next meeting, which you may attend in person (at city hall) or online via zoom, will be on Tuesday, May 13 at 5:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public. Contact LATA or koterwskit@cityoflacrosse.org for details about location/access code and agenda.

LATA Leaders will meet on Wednesday, May 14 from 5:30 to 6:30 online. We will work on the calendar for the rest of the year. If you are interested in joining us, please email or call (608-315-2693) for the link to join.

On Thursday, May 15, the La Crosse Area Planning Committee (LAPC) Committee on Transit and Active Transportation meets from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in person (County Admin building, room 2106) and online. This meeting is open to the public. Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/LAPC-CTAT

The MTU Board will meet on Tuesday, May 20 at 4 p.m. in person and online. The agenda is not published yet. This meeting is open to the public. For access information, email lorentza@cityoflacrosse.org

Week Without Driving webinars help those co-sponsoring the fall event find ways to incorporate WWD into parallel efforts. Tentative dates and topics: on May 14 at 1 p.m.  the topic will be Engaging Parents and Caregivers and on May 28 at 1 p.m., How to connect/include WWD as part of your transportation equity work/possible Rural Transportation

On Thursday, May 29, the Wisconsin Transit Riders Alliance board will meet online from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. The meeting is open to all WTRA members (if you are a LATA member, you are a WTRA member). Please email for the link if you are interested.

The Wisconsin DOT is doing a Public Transportation Trip Purpose and Impact survey "to learn why Wisconsinites use public transit and the department is asking for your help since it’s been about 10 years since we collected information from the last version. The results from this survey will help shape future transportation policies and funding decisions across the state. Feedback from this short survey will help WisDOT with transit research and support related initiatives. It will also give local transit agencies and the public useful insights into how transit is used and its impact on communities. Take the survey by May 26 at https://tinyurl.com/0525WisDOTTransitSurvey  There are also Spanish language and Hmong language versions available.

There will be a major detour on the Route 5 starting in mid-May as Onalaska replaces the four-way stop intersection at Theater Road and County PH with a roundabout. If you need to get to Target, Kohls, etc. from La Crosse by transit, you might consider taking the #5 to Valley View Mall and transferring to the Onalaska-Holmen-West Salem shared ride taxi. You will need to arrange for the transfer in advance by calling OHWS at  608-784-0000. Request a transfer from the MTU driver to use when you change. If you return via OHWS to Valley View to catch the MTU, you will need to pay the OHWS fare ($4.50 per adult, $4.00 for student/senior/citizen with disability) and get a transfer for the MTU. Punch cards are available for discounted fares. Read more about it at https://tinyurl.com/OHWS-SharedRide

We hope to organize a public event in early June where you can come and talk with area transit staff about your experiences. Please email or call with your suggestions! Watch this space for details!