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! 

NO BUS SERVICE TONIGHT!

A friend just alerted me to an notice on the MTU Facebook page that they are cancelling service after 7:40 p.m. and you're on your own after that.

In case you're not on FB, here's the alert. If you know someone who works past 7, please let them know.

SMRT 2 Viroqua

Join LATA and friends for a ride on the Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit (SMRT) bus from La Crosse to Viroqua on Thursday, May 1. 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

This is a great way to learn about, promote, and support this great regional public transit service. Join us and bring a friend! If you want, register here: https://tinyurl.com/lata2Viroqua

Free Fares on EARTH FAIR DAY

Ride the bus for free on

Sunday, April 27, 2025.

Go check out the Earth Fair at Myrick Park. 

Route 4 Losey Blvd will use La Crosse St to 23rd St, 23rd St to Campbell Rd and then back on route. Route 4 Downtown will do the detour in reverse. Temporary bus stops will be placed at East Ave and La Crosse St and Hillview & La Crosse St

Caij npav dawb rau hnub Sunday, Plaub Hlis 27, 2025.

Mus saib lub Ntiaj Teb Ncaj Ncees ntawm Myrick Park.

Txoj Kev 4 Losey Blvd yuav siv La Crosse St mus rau 23rd St, 23rd St mus rau Campbell Rd thiab tom qab ntawd rov qab rau txoj kev. Txoj Kev 4 Hauv Nroog yuav ua qhov kev taw qhia rov qab. Chaw nres tsheb npav ib ntus yuav muab tso rau ntawm East Ave thiab La Crosse St thiab Hillview & La Crosse St

Viaje en autobús gratis el domingo 27 de abril de 2025.

Visite la Feria de la Tierra en el Parque Myrick.

La ruta 4 Losey Blvd usará la calle La Crosse hasta la calle 23, de la calle 23 a Campbell Rd y luego regresará a su ruta. La ruta 4 Downtown hará el desvío en sentido inverso. Se instalarán paradas temporales en East Ave y la calle La Crosse, y en Hillview y la calle La Crosse.

Seeking members for MTU ADA Advisory Committee!

The La Crosse MTU is looking for more members for its ADA Advisory Committee. 

The committee meets every other month (January, March, May, July, September, November) on the second Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. online and in-person.

This information is provided by Tim Koterwski from the MTU:

WHAT IS THE ADA ADVISORY COMMITTEE?

The ADA Advisory Committee is a group of people that have a disability, that use the MTU bus system and want to help MTU make sure its passengers with disabilities have an excellent experience while using the bus.

Some of the functions of the committee include but are not limited to the following items as they affect persons with disabilities: MTU Paratransit, MTU reports, programs and performance of the fixed route service.

If this is something that you think you are interested in give me a call and we can discuss when the committee meets.

Tim Koterwski,Operations Manager, ADA Coordinator, La Crosse MTU, 608-789-7350 or email KoterwskiT@cityoflacrosse.org

April updates

First, if you can, attend today's WisARP spring meeting! (Online 10 to 3)

LATA leaders will meet on Wednesday, April 9 at 5:30 p.m. to discuss future events for the year. If ou want to join the discussion please email for Zoom access information.

LATA will table at UWL Earthapolalooza on April 25. If you can volunteer for 30 or 60 minutes, please email! We won't formally table at Earth Fair, but the MTU will be free on Sunday, April 27 and offer a slight detour to get folks to the Earth Fair at Myrick Park.

LATA will host a MAY DAY (Thursday, May 1)  ride on the SMRT bus to Viroqua. We leave mid-morning from La Crosse and arrive in Viroqua about 11 a.m. After that, your schedule is up to you. There are many restaurants and shops in the area and a few schedule options for return trips (check the schedule at https://ridesmrt.com/ and see Blue or Yellow routes). More details will be posted here soon. Sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/LATA2Viroqua

The MTU has suddenly activated its new app - TRANSIT! This app helps you ride with info on routes, times, and connections. We thought they were going to trial it first, but here it is and we're so happy. No more wondering if the bus has already gone past or if it's delayed! Download here.

The La Crosse Area Planning Committee (LAPC) has issued a Request for Proposals for a consultant to "conduct a feasibility study to evaluate the establishment of a Regional Transit Authority (RTA) serving the Greater La Crosse Area in Wisconsin. The study will assess the legal, financial, operational, and organizational feasibility of an RTA to enhance regional mobility, promote sustainable transportation options, and support economic growth. All proposals are due for submission on May 9, 2025, at 5:00pm CST.

"Additional updates, Q & A, information, and a downloadable RFP, will be available on the LAPC Website: Public Notices."

RTAs were eliminated by the 2011 state legislature, but are back in the Governor's 2025-27 budget proposal and may have a chance to be included in the Joint Finance Committee's version.

Please consider weighing in for transit as the 2025-2027 budget is being put together! JFC public sessions are far away and not very transit-accessible, but you can email the JFC (see here for a sample) AND you can attend and speak at a budget listening session being hosted by our local state legislators:

• April 7 at 5 p.m. at Bekkum Library in Westby (Sen. Brad Pfaff and Rep. Tara Johnson)
• April 11 at 3:30 p.m. at the Onalaska Public Library (Sen. Pfaff, Rep. Steve Doyle)
• April 14 at 4 p.m. at the La Crosse Public Library (Sen. Pfaff, Rep. Jill Billings)

If your group or office or business would like to be a co-sponsor for Week Without Driving ((September 29 - October 5), please email!