BACKGROUND

After hearing the former Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary David Ross remark that improvements to La Crosse Street would not occur because it was tied into the possible new road conversations, the Chamber called the Regional office of the DOT to find out how we move this important and needed project of fixing La Crosse Street forward.

UPDATE

Angela Adams with the DOT told the Chamber’s Executive Director Vicki Markussen that La Crosse Street was scheduled for a “Patch and Overlay” (i.e. a new surface coating fixing the potholes) for 2024. The DOT has worked with the City of La Crosse to secure Highway Safety Improvement Funds that will prioritize this project to occur in 2022 — with the design work in 2021.

The new road will have a shared left-right turn lane in the middle. Bike lanes will still be on the outer edges. To accomodate both of these lanes, the traffic lane will be narrowed to 11-feet.

Of note, the DOT must keep this project in its timeline for 2024, but its intention is to fast-track it to 2021 designing and 2022 construction.