La Crosse officials look for public input on transportation

City and county officials in La Crosse are trying to figure out what the area's transportation options might look like in the future.

They're turning to the public for help, hosting a forum next week to talk about how people get around town.

Next week, the Sustainable La Crosse Commission is planning to hold an "Alternative Transportation Forum."

Its members are looking for the public's input on different kinds of transportation throughout all of La Crosse County -- everything from cars, to buses, to bicycles, and even walking.

"It appears from what's happening elsewhere in the world and also with the changes of technology that it's not going to be same old highways and private automobiles," said Mike Giese, Chair of the Sustainable La Crosse Commission. "We're going to have to look at alternatives that are more efficient and cost effective ways of providing transportation services."

But you might not see big changes to transportation anytime soon, for a couple different reasons.

"We have a shortage of funds which means it's more difficult to build more lanes for the roadway and the current proposal that's being studied by the dot has a construction window of 2025-2030 so it goes off quite a ways," said Giese. "We need to be thinking that far into the future so that's what we need to do right now."

The commission also plans to have representatives from the Wisconsin DOT, the biking community, and local bus services all in attendance at the forum.

The forum is scheduled for Wednesday, January 18th at 5:30pm in La Crosse City Hall's 3rd Floor Conference Room.

This is the first of two public discussions. The Sustainable La Crosse Commission plans to hold another transportation forum in February.