TONIGHT: City council looks at $133,000 price for South Ave. consultant

Some members of council believe it unnecessary

The La Crosse city council takes a look at the $133,000 question tonight.

The council will vote on a plan to spend up to that amount for consultant Toole Design Group to study alternative transportation plans for the city’s busy South Avenue. 

It’s a plan that not every council member is a fan of.

“I think we should capitalize on what’s in front of us as opposed to coming up with what is $133,000 worth of our own plans,” council rep. Martin Gaul said.

Gaul added, with the DOT willing to work with city hall on crafting a plan for South Avenue, any work by a consultant would be unnecessary.

“They addressed a lot of the concerns that were brought forth before,” Gaul said. “They addressed a lot of the parts of Tool Design’s proposals that we’ve seen before and that they have intimated that they would be making again.”

Gaul believes duplication seems more likely now that the DOT has backed away from plans to widen South Avenue, apparently in response to public criticism.  

Gaul says that clearly indicates a willingness of the state agency to compromise with city hall.