The City Council and Mayor of LaCrosse, Wisconsin, are considering a proposal to add bicycle lanes to 3rd and 4th Streets in the downtown area. While the intention behind this initiative is to promote cycling and encourage eco-friendliness within our community, it's crucial to examine the full impact of this plan, particularly for residents and businesses that rely on these streets/highways.

LaCrosse's downtown is a bustling hub of activity, with numerous businesses that depend heavily on parking availability for their patrons. The introduction of bicycle lanes would likely result in the removal of many parking spaces (some claim there is an abundance of parking, that simply is not true when comparing the parking at big box store parking lots versus downtown small businesses), hence causing a significant issue for for local business owners, their customers, and the residents downtown.

Beyond parking concerns, the proposed lanes would also likely lead to increased traffic congestion. 3rd and 4th Streets are key arterials for downtown traffic AND A STATE HIGHWAY connecting various points in the city/state, as well as being a throughway for deliveries, semis, and others traveling our area. By narrowing these streets to accommodate bike lanes (especially when there are already an abundance of bicycle lanes on streets close-by), we risk exacerbating congestion,  increasing travel times, and other adverse outcomes (potential increase in accidents, reduced tourism, less foot traffic, parking issues, etc).

Moreover, the addition of bike lanes may not serve the needs of our community effectively. Infrastructure improvements are more beneficial when applied in areas with existing high demand for cycling. Currently, there is limited evidence of a significant number of cyclists utilizing 3rd and 4th Streets regularly, or even wanting to use 3rd & 4th streets regularly. In fact, according to a recent public survey by a local news organization, nearly 90% of the respondents were against adding them to these streets at all (approximately only 9% in favor of). 

https://www.news8000.com/news/viewer-polls/should-la-crosse-include-bike-lanes-in-new-plans-for-3rd-and-4th-streets/poll_e6c10d02-2f8d-4c02-a60f-c6fe18396cba.html?utm_medium=social&fbclid=IwdGRjcAOTSHljbGNrA5NIdWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHu_jwYmvrWzI8FC-exxEOy03D_jveieoOKhPKiK-FcRsfopIHpctS30hhFf0_aem_41bzhRAC8PJz6TwDr82BGw

Instead, we advocate for a community-centered approach that assesses where in LaCrosse bicycle lanes would achieve the greatest impact while balancing the needs of local businesses, residents, and traffic flow. Parking and traffic patterns should be meticulously studied, and alternate routes should be considered. And ANY individuals in the planning department that would personally (financially) benefit from adding bicycle lanes needs to publicly disclose this and ideally remove themselves from these types of decisions. 

By signing this petition, you are voicing your concern about the current proposal and urging the LaCrosse City Council and Mayor to seek alternatives that support cycling without compromising the needs of downtown businesses, residents, and drivers. Let's work together to create solutions that respect all parts of our community. Please sign this petition to make your voice heard!