Wisconsin Bicycle Federation Ride with the Mayor

Wisconsin Bicycle Federation is planning the 2016 Ride with Mayor Tim Kabat, City Staff, and Dave Cieslewicz, Wisconsin Bike Fed’s Executive Director, on July 27th at 10:00 am. The goal of the ride is to take a look at the progress that has been made with new infrastructure and look at new projects that will be developed as part of the City’s commitment to creating a bicycle friendly community.  La Crosse first earned Silver Status from the League of American Bicyclist in 2011 and kept the same designation when renewing the application in 2015.

While La Crosse has made many major improvements since the initial Silver certification, Bicycle Friendly Community Specialist Steve Clark, from the League of American Bicyclists, provided many recommendations for bicycle infrastructure improvements to jump to the Gold level of certification. He recommended changes that could begin to improve the City’s network of on-street bicycle routes, and such improvements would begin to lead the City to obtaining Gold certification for a Bicycle Friendly Community. Gold certification is given to communities who embrace innovative solutions to transportation difficulties.
Anyone interested in the progress of the La Crosse Bicycle Pedestrian Master Plan is invited to attend.
Ride with the Mayor
•       July 27th 10 AM
•       City Hall
•       Meet in Parking Lot on La Crosse street for Introductions
•       One- hour tour by bike of recent changes and discussion future projects
About the Wisconsin Bike Fed
The Wisconsin Bike Fed is a statewide bicycle advocacy organization representing thousands of members across Wisconsin.  Its mission is to inspire, motivate, and unite a strong community of civic, business and political leaders, motorists and bicyclists to move bicycling forward in Wisconsin.  For more information visit WisconsinBikeFed.org.

When	Wed Jul 27, 2016 10am – 11am Central Time
Where	City Hall, 400 La Crosse Street, La Crosse, WI 54601 (map)

2016 Autumn Assembly

Reminder: Highway clean up July 5

Just a reminder! If you are available at 6 p.m. on Tuesday to help with the Coulee Region group highway clean up, please meet at the city water well building near the intersection of River Valley Drive and Gillette Street. Vests and bags will be provided. Be prepared for weather and bugs. We'll meet up afterward (at about 7:30) at Rudy's Drive In on La Crosse Street.

Reminder - Coulee Region Sierra Club Picnic! Tuesday, 6/28

Just a reminder that you are invited to our June picnic - club membership not required! - on June 28 starting at about 6 pm north of Onalaska. Bring a dish to pass. Wine, beer, soda provided. Directions: Drive north on Hwy 53 past Menards. Turn right on OT and left (north) on Sand Lake Road. Just past Coulee Life Church (on the left) turn RIGHT onto Hanson Road and immediately right again onto Brook Lane. Find the two story white house at the end of the cul-de-sac and park in the driveway (3703 Brook Lane). Bring a friend!

June issue of SIERRA now available!

Please check out the June issue of SIERRA, the newsletter of the Coulee Region group.

Mark your calendar for our June 28 potluck at Rick's home! Read about important bluffland protection and restoration projects! Get ready to CAR SHARE this fall! Share your transit story with the state Sierra Club as we work to highlight issues of transit equity!

Lunch at the landfill

Thank you, Maureen F!

Here is an invitation to the County Landfill's annual meeting on June 17. The public is invited and very welcome to attend. I always find it to be informative. There is opportunity to ask questions of our County staff as well as from Xcel Energy which operates our waste-to-energy facility at French Island. The French Island 2015 performance report is available here.

An RPVP is preferred by June 13. Lunch is always pretty good, too though you don't need to stay for that.

La Crosse area blufflands news

There are three notable news items relating to Coulee Region blufflands.

Blufflands Master Plan Public Information Meeting

The La Crosse Area Planning Committee has published the first draft of their master plan for the area blufflands – “A Plan for Conservation and Recreation Throughout The La Crosse – La Crescent Region.” A link to the draft is on their website.

There is a public informational meeting on Thursday night, June 2 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Black River Beach Neighborhood Center, 1433 Rose St., La Crosse. Anyone concerned about the La Crosse-Onalaska-Holmen-La Crescent blufflands is encouraged to read the plan and attend the meeting to give their comments.

Friends of the Blufflands

A new group has been formed – The Friends of the Blufflands – “to promote sound conservation practices in the Coulee Region blufflands and to be a voice for a wide variety of blufflands users who value the area blufflands for the animal and plant habitat they provide, for the natural beauty they provide for residents and visitors to the area, for the outdoor nature study and recreation opportunities that they provide, and the values green space provides to local communities and their residents.“ For more information or to express interest, contact Pat Wilson.

City of La Crosse Bluffland Restoration Work Days

The La Crosse Park and Recreation Department is making a major effort to restore the blufflands in Hixon Forest and other park properties in the bluffs. The goal is to eliminate invasive species and to clear the goat prairies of invading plants. The Park Department hired Sunshine Love as the Hixon Forest Vegetation Manager. Sunshine has scheduled two public work days to help clear the goat prairies, though tremendous progress has been made already.

Scheduled work days are:

* Thursday June 16, 2016. 10am-1pm -- Rain Day June 20, 2016

* Tuesday July 26, 2016. 10am-1pm -- Rain Day July 27, 2016

Chainsaws will be in use at the site, and only those 18 years old and older are allowed. For more information or to register as a volunteer, call 608-789- 7309. You could be applying herbicide, using a brush cutter, or, for those with chainsaw safety certification, using a chainsaw.