Regional planners outline La Crosse 'Safety Action Plan' backed by federal Safe Streets for All grant

Jenna Dinkel of the city planning and development department and Erin Duffer of the La Crosse Area Planning Committee updated the board on the La Crosse Regional Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, supported by a 2025 Safe Streets for All planning grant.

Duffer described the program as a federal grant opportunity for planning, infrastructure and behavioral initiatives aimed at preventing deaths and serious injuries across all roadway users. The project, which started in fall 2025 and is expected to conclude in 2026, will produce a safety-action plan that identifies high-injury corridors using 10 years of crash data, recommends projects and programs, and creates a framework for implementing Vision Zero goals.

Nut graf: The plan will help the region prioritize infrastructure and policy changes to reduce severe crashes and open eligibility for federal implementation grants if priority projects are identified.

Dinkel highlighted engagement tools (an online interactive map and a short survey) and said the project will pair task-force expertise (higher-education, municipal engineers, police, healthcare and county health staff) with public outreach including pop-ups and a library session. She told the board the local cost share was roughly $35,000 and encouraged board members to share the survey with constituents.

Board members asked whether the task force includes direct citizen representatives; staff said the task force mostly comprises professionals who also live in the communities and that targeted engagement (including seniors via AARP and a library outreach session) will be part of the public process.

Ending: Staff requested feedback and public participation through the project website and survey; no board action was required.