Week Without Driving

Join us in recognizing Week Without Driving
in the La Crosse area
October 1-8, 2026!


Week Without Driving (WWD) is a national event that highlights the challenges faced by non-drivers in our car-centric world and explores the benefits of ensuring we all have access to great walking, biking, and public transportation. Learn more here.https://youtu.be/s6UKCvZs1Cc?is=-o-ThmxXKmEq-Xev

Please join us by participating in the Week Without Driving Experience or fill out a WWD BINGO CARD (print one out or pick one up at the Transit Center, at our library display, or on an MTU bus).Turn in a completed card and be entered in a prize drawing. Bingo Prizes include MTU pass, bike commuter gear, bike helmet, rain gear, gift cards, t-shirts, sling bag, water bottles, and more!

A message from Mayor Shaudel!  


Share your WWD thoughts and experiences (anonymously if you wish). Can you share a short video - your conversation with a non driver, your experience trying to get to an appointment without your car, your wonderful bus ride with your kids? Share the link to your video (form coming soon) and we'll share it with our community.

If you can, attend or participate in local WWD events shown below, too!

Share our flyer on your social media or by email. Or print and post one!

 



LOCAL EVENTS

All Week

Check out our display at the La Crosse Public Library from September 23 through September 30 and at the Grand River Station Transit Center, 314 Jay Street, from October 1-8!

Fill out your WWD Bingo card! Pick one up from the Library or Transit Center display or get your card HERE!

Ride with your Representative - we are asking City Council and County Board members to ride with non-driver and/or active transportation advocate constituents. We will be posting rides as they are confirmed!

Try out a Drift Cycles bike for a free one-hour ride with code WWD26.

Post your WWD experiences - how are you getting around without driving a car? Use this form https://tinyurl.com/MyWWDExperience 

Share your WWD experience video! Email us the link to your TikTok, IG, or other social media video selfie and we'll share it here!

Do a walk or bus stop audit and send it to us! 

Listen to "Active Transportation Equity: Becoming Active and Aware" by Matthew Christen hosted by the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of La Crosse in 2024.

Read "You Cannot Prioritize All Modes," by Anna Zivarts at Living Streets Alliance.


 🚍🚍🚍 
 
Here are elected leaders who have scheduled WWD rides so far!
  • City Council Member Chris Kahlow (District 6) on Oct. 1 after the press event
  • County Board Supervisor Beth Piggush (District 7) - postponed!
 
🚍🚍🚍 

Special Events (More events will be added as they are finalized!)

Thursday, October 1

10:15 a.m. - Week Without Driving Community Kick-Off press event at the Grand River Station Transit Center, 314 Jay St. Join transit riders, walk/bike advocates, elected officials, students, elders, and more to celebrate the start of this important event! RSVP by emailing LaCrosseTransitAdvocates@proton.me (let us know if you want to speak)

5:00 p.m. - Community Bike Ride on the Marsh Trails hosted by Drift Cycle! Meet at the Drift Cycles station by the Myrick Park Center (use the special WWD26 code for one hour free) RSVP here: https://forms.gle/2Hyma5pFTCmy2t9e9

Friday, October 2

9:00 a.m. - Bike Ride with Local Leaders Join the La Crosse Area Planning Committee and the City of La Crosse on a ride with local leaders to experience getting around La Crosse without a car. Together, we'll examine existing infrastructure, highlight barriers, and discuss how we can make the city safer and more accessible! Meet at the Black River Beach Center, 1433 Rose Street. Need a bike? Grab one from the Copeland Park Drift Cycle Station (Copeland Park Drive & St. Cloud Street) at 8:30 a.m. where help will be available to get your free ride code set up or contact Wrench & Roll or Smith's for rental. RSVP: tkey@lacrossecounty.org or call (608)-789-8548

Saturday, October 3

We are working on setting up a downtown walk audit. More details coming soon! 

Sunday, October 4

2:00 p.m. - Film & discussion - Cycling Cities: A journey to Europe's most beautiful cycling cities at the La Crosse Public Library) Filmmaker and climate activist Ingwar Perowanowitsch bikes to and through seven of Europe's most beautiful "cycling cities" and talks with elected leaders and cycling advocates about what improvements any city can make to replicate their successes. A short discussion will follow the film. Film is in German with English subtitles but beautiful scenery beyond words.

Monday, October 5 - FREE FARES ON MTU!

New Riders Guided Ride on the MTU at 11:00 a.m. hosted by La Crosse Area Transit Advocates. We'll meet at the Transit Center, 314 Jay Street, and ride the Circulator, a one-half hour route. Register by emailing LaCrosseTransitAdvocates@proton.me OR by calling 608-315-2693.

Tuesday, October 6

7:00 to 9:00 a.m. - Bike Commuter Station at Smith's Bikes, 7th & State. Swing by on your bike commute for a free coffee and treat plus a quick bike check!

Wednesday, October 7

11:30 a.m. - Bus to Brunch - hosted by La Crosse Area Transit Advocates. We'll take the MTU #6 from the Transit Center to the Clinton/Caledonia transfer point then have a delicious meal at Damn Tasty, talk transit, and return on the #6. RSVP by emailing LaCrosseTransitAdvocates@proton.me

Thursday, October 8

10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. - E-Bike Day at Smith's Bike Shop E-bike curious? Stop by Smith's Bike Shop, 7th & State, to learn about e-bikes and take a free test ride!

Noon to 1:30 p.m. - Building Equity Through Community-Centered Transportation NOT LOCAL, but a free ONLINE webinar from the Maryland Department of Transportation. Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/mdcommtransport

Wisconsin Department of Transportation Public Input Session on Highway 16 Corridor Plans
September 30 from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. 
Black River Beach Neighborhood Center (take the #6 bus!)
 
This is not a Week Without Driving event, but it's a great opportunity to weigh in on WisDOT plans for updating the Highway 16 corridor! Learn more about the projects and how you can follow and feed back here: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/533516-lacrosse/wis16-pi.aspx

Check out and share the flyers for our great events!





Important Facts:
 
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) estimates 40% or more of City of La Crosse residents are non-drivers. La Crosse County's non-driver population is estimated to be 30 to 40%.  In the state, about 31% of residents of all ages are non-drivers. Find more details at the Non-Driver Interactive Mapping Tool. https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/multimodal/nd.aspx
 
In addition, in 2021, the Biden White House reported that,"Wisconsin residents who take public transportation spend an extra 62.7% of their time commuting and non-White households are 5.9 times more likely to commute via public transportation."


The Wisconsin budget for public transit was moved from the Transportation Budget to the General Fund in 2023, meaning funding for bus service must now compete with many other important services. Before that, funding for public transportation was essentially flat, with highways getting nine times more than public transit and rail.
 
 
For a brief time, Wisconsin allowed for Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs), "two or more political subdivisions located within the same metropolitan area ... [with] the authority to impose ... a sales and use tax ..." Such authorities would help grow and strengthen a network of intercity public transit options in the state and region. However, that authority was rescinded and RTAs were banned in 2011. Wisconsin transit advocates are organizing to push for new RTA legislation during the next session.
 
The average cost to own and operate a car, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, is more than $12,000 per year. 

One hundred years ago, the Coon Valley Line connected folks in the coulee region by rail! Watch this presentation from the Vernon County Memorial Library.

Here are more articles from the WWD national organizers and supporting organizations:

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