As I See It
Still trying to get Second Street done, right
One final kick of the cat on this topic. I’ve spoken before, too often in fact, about the city of La Crosse’s efforts to redesign Second Street. Ever since the construction of the La Crosse Center was finalized, the city has struggled to make the six-block stretch of road navigable for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The initial design was altered over the summer to improve traffic flow. Somehow they have managed to make it worse. It is a road like no other in the city. The vehicular lanes remain far too narrow. Drivers heading south often must cross the center line to avoid hitting parked cars. Those heading north must come close to taking out pylons to avoid getting hit head-on. Heavy semi traffic and winter snow made things even worse. But if you are a bicyclist, you have plenty of room. Your own lanes, one in each direction, as wide as a car lane, with pylons between you and traffic. Once the road work was completed, it took months for the city to replace the traffic lights at Second and State. Finally, the lights have been wired, but the project still isn’t finished, some eight months later, because the lights are only flashing red both directions. No sense having lights if traffic in all directions has to stop anyway. And if you haven’t noticed, those luxurious bike lanes are largely unused. Except for the buses that used the bike lanes to park in front of the La Crosse Center over the weekend. I would suggest the city look at redesigning the road, but I fear another effort could turn out even worse.
Kent Porter
February 5, 2024 at 6:30 am
HOW ABOUT FIXING 3 RD ST. AND 4 TH ST. ITS LIKE DRIVING A COVERED WAGON ACROSSE THE OREGON TRAIL IN THE 1800’S
walden
February 5, 2024 at 3:05 pm
In real news, Biden is destroying America.
The Dude
February 6, 2024 at 4:31 pm
Walden, I don’t understand why you and Scott are not on the same page.
Biden’s build back better funding allowed La Crosse to redesign and use those monies to develop 2nd street to the inclusive roadway we have today.
Being that I work on 2nd street I am able to view the bicycle traffic that utilizes the two lanes. The 3-4 bicycles that use it per week seem to really enjoy the bike lanes that are impeding traffic flow.
We can be most certain that a traffic pattern was studied and a bicycle counter was employed prior to allocating funds to the bike lanes. We can be most certain the city reviewed the data set that provided a go ahead to do this.
Daily traffic of Semi trucks, cars, and also parking have all been affected. It seems that we now kowtow ow to anyone and everyone that has a “cause”.
It is a new world out there and my democrat party is building back better and that includes 2nd st in LaCrosse WI.
Now both you and Scott stop the discussion on 2nd st. and get with the program and discuss the southern green space in TX and AZ that is having a problem with “un sheltered”.
According to the lacrosse tribune there are 49 families experiencing homelessness and 213 individuals, IMAGINE if you will a country that allows 150,000 illegal crossings each month. Lacrosse can not handle 213 individuals a year….yet we allow these folks in.
And what we editorialize is 2nd street.
Walden
February 6, 2024 at 11:55 pm
Well played, Dude!