Residents express concerns on DOT’s road plans

Many want the old roads fixed first

La Crosse residents continue to tell the Wisconsin DOT they don’t see any need for new roads, especially in or around the marsh

Despite claims by Wisconsin DOT experts that they are listening to concerns of people who don’t want new highways in the area, some citizens at a La Crosse hearing believe the state is determined to put in new roads, no matter what. 

“You don’t get it,” one resident said at Wednesday night’s DOT meeting at Central High School – another is set for 5 p.m. tonight at the Onalaska city hall. “You keep persisting on trying to build through the marsh. We stopped it once. We will try and stop it again.”

Another man argued La Crosse’s permanent population isn’t nearly as high as the DOT might think, arguing the university skews the numbers.

Despite the arguments from citizens, road planners argue that the need still exists for more roads.

At the hearing, visitors were asked to submit questions or comments on road plans to a panel of DOT staffers.

Some questions challenged the need for new road-building. “Why most of the plans still go through the marsh?” or “Why change La Crosse to help drivers who don’t live here?” and “Why don’t you try fixing the roads we have now?”