Mayor pushes change to DOT plans while vote nears on Rose St.

The city of La Crosse and the DOT don’t seem close to resolving some differences over the future of the Rose Street entrance into the city.  The state agency has agreed to consider moving some lanes on Rose if the city funds the redesign process to do that.  And then the city will have to pick up the bill for the extra costs.  Costs that wouldn’t exist, contends mayor Tim Kabat, because the changes the city wants to make to the DOT design would actually save taxpayer dollars.

Kabat says he’s frustrated at the agency’s apparent intransigence on reconsidering construction plans.  He maintains that the whole project is early enough in the process that changes should be something the DOT can easily consider.  While a representative from the DOT tells us the property acquisition aspect of the project is actually behind schedule, blaming city hall for the delays.

 Kabat wants the DOT to fund the estimated $250 thousand redesign for Rose Street.  He says the agency should do its due diligence to consider all options for the street before committing to one design.  The DOT apparently will only consider some changes, but only if the city pays for the redesign process.