MPO outlines regional 'Safe Streets' plan and federal funding opportunities for Onalaska

Erin Duffer, transportation planner with the La Crosse Area Planning Committee, told the Onalaska board Dec. 2 that the MPO received a Federal Highway Administration grant under the Safe Streets and Roads for All program to develop a regional Comprehensive Safety Action Plan aimed at eliminating roadway deaths and serious injuries.

Duffer said the plan will analyze crash history, identify a high-injury network and prioritize projects, programs and policy recommendations. "We're looking to evaluate our safety issues and concerns for all modes of transportation, and then identify and prioritize projects, programs, and then strategies for people who live and work and play in our greater La Crosse region," she said. The MPO will use public engagement, including an interactive online map where residents can drop pins to report near misses and safety concerns.

Duffer noted the plan could make corridors and projects eligible for federal funding once the MPO identifies priorities. Board members clarified the MPO is an advisory, federally designated metropolitan planning organization and that the MPO will work with municipalities, state DOT and federal partners to facilitate funding and policy changes. Onalaska staff said they are collaborating with the MPO and encouraged residents to contribute input through the project website.

The MPO expects to complete the plan in 2026 and will return with policy and project recommendations as the high-injury network is defined.