Friday, April 5, 2024

Upcoming events and another detour

See below for detour info on the #6!

This Saturday, April 6, Wisconsin Association of Rail Passengers is holding its annual spring meeting in the Wisconsin Dells and online. There will be a variety of updates on national and state rail projects including the TCMC second daily Amtrak that is expected to start soon, progress on siting an Amtrak station in Madison, information about new rail lines from Milwaukee to the Twin Cities via Madison and Eau Claire and the Milwaukee to Green Bay rail project. For more information visit https://wisarp.wordpress.com/2024/02/06/wisarp-spring-membership-meeting-date-announced/

LATA Leaders will meet online on Tuesday, April 16 at 5:30 p.m. This is different than our usual time. If you would be interested in joining us at this meeting, please reply to this email. We will continue planning events for the year and looking for ways to bring good transit into the community conversations.

We are looking for a few more people to be at our LATA table at the Sunday, April 28 Earth Fair, any time between 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you could spare an hour to help spread the good word about transit, please reply to this email.

We will host a Ride SMRT to Viroqua on Wednesday, May 1. We catch the SMRT Yellow that picks up at various locations in La Crosse between about 9:30 and 10:15 and gets to Viroqua at a little after 11 a.m. Then you're on your own with several return trip options. The cost is $4 cash paid to the driver each way. Get more details and the registration link at http://lacrosseata.blogspot.com/p/smrt-2-viroqua.html  Please register by April 28!

We are hoping to apply for an AARP grant to help restart a more robust Ride with a Guide program in partnership with the MTU. This program will train volunteers to help new riders navigate the public transit system. If you would be interested in being a Ride Guide, please reply to this email.

We are also working on planning Week Without Driving, Sept. 30 through October 6. This is not a transit-specific event but it's a national week that challenges electeds and decision-makers to pledge a week without driving and experience the life of a non-driver public policies, budgets, and decisions have created. Learn more about WWD here: https://weekwithoutdriving.org/ and please let me know if you and/or your organization would like to help plan and/or co-sponsor, please reply to this email. The main event is the WWD challenge. We will do some local things to highlight the message of the week, including the WWD Bingo card, a LATA ride, possibly a panel discussion, etc.

The official roll out of the official 3D tactile map, a project that Liz Fryseth and her children started and worked on last year, is still in progress but with no firm date for public release. We would like to encourage the MTU to give this priority. If you interact with MTU drivers or admins, please ask about it. We are looking at doing some LATA sponsored events to highlight the map later this spring and summer.

DETOUR - ROUTE 4:  Starting April 8 and through summer, the #4 will have a detour. Just north of Hintgen school, rather than continuing north on 28th, it will turn left onto Robinsdale, coming out by Starbucks on Mormon Coulee Road. The bus will turn onto MC Road and then north onto Losey and continue north along its regular route. The stops at 28th and James, 28th and Hass, and 26th and Hass will be closed until road work in the area is completed some time in August.

A new AVL (auto vehicle locator) system should be in place by fall. The current DoubleMap app is no longer being supported which is why it may blink in and out or not show your bus in certain situations. The hope is that the new system will be more reliable and offer more options for fares, and accessibility enhancements.

The MTU and ATU have come to an agreement on a contract through arbitration. This will be finalized at the City Council meeting this month. On March 18, Public Transportation Employees' Day, LATA presented a Thank You card poster to MTU employees (see the card at https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3AlZfJBcGpcpKlMcVFC4isoGU5L3IAyYFWWwUhQecUvcpx9JUwStT7b703bYhdqwOymNoRZSLG4vYFVs9YfR2WpemSZMONzM_jxpduyn6Gr9pLMULtydSAqn8Kz-WIskRjETDc_92LMb75yWF-B1k6iMyiHh_MOSRGUhm2B5irFsZR12Mtflnl48K1Yo/s2000/Image.jpeg )

The March 9 Wisconsin Transit Riders Alliance Spring Meeting went well. Our speaker, Dave Steele, gave an interesting overview of his non-profit, MobiliSE and their Milwaukee area workforce on-demand transit system FlexRide. You can watch the presentation here: https://youtu.be/8pP76TfsmBo LATA will be represented on the 2024 WTRA board by Cathy Van Maren. Members of LATA are also members of WTRA.

Attention Route 6 Downtown Passengers.

Beginning Monday Apr 8th the intersection of Onalaska Avenue and North Salem Rd will be closed. Route 6 Downtown will use Harvey St to Stoddard St, Stoddard St to Prospect St and Prospect St to North Salem Rd. Please catch the bus at Hamilton St and North Salem Rd or North Salem Rd and Loomis St. 

If you have any questions, please ask your driver, or call 608.789.7350.

Ceeb Toom Txoj Kev 6 Hauv Nroog Cov neeg caij tsheb. Pib hnub Monday Lub Plaub Hlis 08th kev sib tshuam ntawm Onalaska Avenue thiab North Salem Rd yuav raug kaw. Txoj Kev 6 Hauv Nroog yuav siv Harvey St mus rau Stoddard St, Stoddard St mus rau Prospect St thiab Prospect St mus rau North Salem Rd. Thov caij tsheb npav ntawm Hamilton St thiab North Salem Rd lossis North Salem Rd thiab Loomis St.

Yog tias koj muaj lus nug, thov nug koj tus neeg tsav tsheb, lossis hu rau 608.789.7350.

Atención Pasajeros de Ruta 6 Centro.

A partir del lunes 8 de abril, la intersección de Onalaska Avenue y North Salem Rd estará cerrada. La Ruta 6 del Centro utilizará Harvey St hasta Stoddard St, Stoddard St hasta Prospect St y Prospect St hasta North Salem Rd. Tome el autobús en Hamilton St y North Salem Rd o North Salem Rd y Loomis St.

Si tiene alguna pregunta, pregúntele a su conductor o llame al 608.789.7350.







Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Election Day - Free (with detour)

RIDE THE MTU FREE ON
APRIL 2 - ELECTION DAY!

And, on Tuesday, April 2, the # 4 bus stops from East Ave and La Crosse St to Pine St and Campbell Rd will be closed. Both Route 4 buses will use La Crosse St to 23rd St and 23rd St to Campbell Rd. Temporary bus stops will be placed at the corners of East Ave and La Crosse St and La Crosse St and Hillview Ave. 

If you have any questions, please ask your driver or contact MTU at 608-789-7350.

[This will get voters who use the Nature Place polling location a little closer and still serve those, with the East Ave & La Crosse Street stop, who vote at the UWL Student Union.]

Monday, March 18, 2024

March 18 - Transit Employees Appreciation Day!

Thanks to MTU, SMRT, OHWS Taxi, Amtrak, Greyhound, Jefferson Lines, and every other transit employee!



Wednesday, March 13, 2024

#4 Detour alert!

Starting April 8, the #4 will detour on its northbound route all summer due to work on Hass Street. The detour begins at 28th and Robinsdale where the bus will turn toward  and come out on Mormon Coulee Road by Starbucks. It will follow MC Road to Losey, take a right, and continue up Losey. The stops at 28th and James, 28th and Hass, and 26th and Hass will be out of service.

Here's the official announcement from MTU:

Beginning Monday, April 08, 2024 Hass St will be closed for road work. Route 4 Downtown will use Robinsdale Ave to Mormon Coulee Road, Mormon Coulee Road to Losey Blvd and then back on route. If you have any questions, please ask you driver, or call 608-789-7350.

Ceeb Toom Route 4 Downtown Passengers
Pib hnub Monday, Plaub Hlis 08, 2024 Hass St yuav raug kaw rau kev ua haujlwm. Txoj Kev 4 Hauv Nroog yuav siv Robinsdale Ave mus rau Mormon Coulee Road, Mormon Coulee Road mus rau Losey Blvd thiab rov qab mus rau txoj kev. Yog tias koj muaj lus nug, thov nug koj tus tsav tsheb, lossis hu rau 608-789-7350.

Atención Pasajeros Ruta 4 Centro
A partir del lunes 8 de abril de 2024, Hass St estará cerrada por obras viales. La Ruta 4 del Centro utilizará Robinsdale Ave hasta Mormon Coulee Road, Mormon Coulee Road hasta Losey Blvd y luego regresará a la ruta. Si tiene alguna pregunta, pregúntele a su conductor o llame al 608-789-7350.


Monday, March 4, 2024

Upcoming transit events and opportunities

 

FIRST, On Saturday, March 9 at 10 a.m., join us for a talk by Dave Steele of MobiliSE about the Milwaukee-area FlexRide, a service that provides on-demand worker transit in the area. The meeting is free and open to the public. Register for the link: https://tinyurl.com/wtra0324. 

March 18 is Transit Employees Appreciation Day. PLEASE SIGN OUR VIRTUAL THANK YOU CARD at www.kudoboard.com/boards/GqNjtDaZ We'd planned to present this during Transit Equity Days but would like to have even more signers. Please sign now. It's easy, free, and quick!!

On March 21 at NOON Central Time, join a free online webinar with transportation expert Jarrett Walker hosted by the Maryland Department of Planning as part of its Sustainable Growth webinar series. The webinar's title is Human Transit: How Clearer Thinking about Public Transit Can Enrich Our Communities and Our Lives. 

Transportation expert Jarrett Walker believes that transit can be simple, if we focus on the underlying geometry that all transit systems share. Jarrett’s gift is being able to break down the basic principles of public transit so that you may have the tools necessary to clarify and advocate for your own values. Join Walker as he talks about his new book, Human Transit, and offers guidance to achieve successful public transit that will enrich any community.

Find out more and register for this free webinar here: tinyurl.com/HumanTransit0321

April 2 – Election Day. Please check with your county board candidates to learn their positions on public transportation in our region. Do they support improving and strengthening the SMRT system? Can they help the MTU expand to provide better service for Onalaska, West Salem, Holmen and others? Do they support rail and interstate bus improvements? Now is the time to vote transit advocates into office. Check your ballot, registration, polling place, and more at https://myvote.wi.gov 

April 28 – Earth Fair at Myrick Park. If you can help table for LATA, please contact us!

May 1 – Ride SMRT 2 Viroqua with LATA! We leave La Crosse mid-morning, ride the Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit bus to Viroqua and then spend the afternoon exploring and eating. Rides back are on your own with four different return options. Cost is $4 per ride, paid in cash to the bus driver. For more details see https://lacrosseata.blogspot.com/p/smrt-2-viroqua.html for details. Register at https://tinyurl.com/LATA2Viroqua

July 20 – The area Disability Action Network will host Disability Pride Fest from 11 to 4 at Central High School. If you would like to help table for LATA at this event, please email.

September 30 through October 6 is National Week Without Driving, a time for everyone to experience life as a non-driver by signing up for the Week Without Driving challenge. If you would like to help plan this important event, please email.

Saturday, March 2, 2024

Wisconsin Transit Riders Alliance Annual Meeting

 

Join us online on Saturday, March 9 to learn about MobiliSE and the FlexRide program that uses micro-transit to provide rides for workers in the Milwaukee area. The program is free and open to the public. Learn more here: https://witransitriders.org/events/annual-meeting or register for the program at https://tinyurl.com/WTRA0324