Transportation and Mobility

Within La Crosse County, 3.05 million miles were travelled daily, and 1.11 trillion miles were travelled annually (WisDOT).  If we were to interpolate VMT per capita, that would be 1.30 million miles travelled daily and 474.97 billion miles travelled annual within the city of La Crosse. A 5% reduction would result in 1.24 million miles travelled daily and 451.22 billion miles travelled annually.

Recommended actions include:

TM 1-1. Create a "Sustainable Transportation Coordinator" role in the city to ensure coordination of CAP Transportation Sector actions and manage associated incentives and funding.

TM 1-2. Work with providers like Drift Cycle to actively promote and expand access and use of bike sharing throughout the city.

TM 1-3. Solicit existing car share service provider or establish a car share program for the La Crosse area. Prioritize car sharing providers or programs that focus on EV utilization. Seek models or examples and trial local, neighborhood or apartment/housing development car and/or bike sharing.

TM 1-4. Establish a parking cash out program, where municipal employees who do not drive to work can cash out their parking space, or receive a comparable transit benefit. Provide guidance for other businesses and organizations to implement their own parking cash out program. Goal: 10 New organizations establishing programs annually.

TM 1-5. Assist large employers with developing transportation demand management (TDM) plans. Goal: 24 New organizations making commitments annually.

TM 1-6. Establish a Guaranteed Ride Home Program, ensuring that employees who commute via transit or bicycle are able to get a ride share or taxi home and not be left at work if a situation arises.

TM 1-7. Establish/increase ordinance requirements and design review requirements for street level, secure bike parking for every residential unit in residential zones and appropriate high-density bike parking facility requirements for commercial and public use zones

TM 1-8. Parking Benefit District (ordinance enacted in Feb. 2019).  These districts are areas in which a percentage of funds collected from municipal parking spaces are used to fund improvements within the district.

TM 1-9. Create and promote incentives for employers to provide incentives such as transit passes, covered and secure bicycle parking, bicycle sharing stations, carpool parking, shuttle services, fleet vehicle car-sharing for personal use, and pedestrian facilities. implementation should be prioritized for improved equity.

TM 1-10. Create and promote incentives supporting adoption of alternative mobility such as bike and eBike ownership and/or sharing. Incentive implementation should be prioritized for improved equity.

TM 1-11. Conduct a review of and implement strategies to minimize stoppage, idling, and fuel wastage. Strategies may include traffic light timing and implement modifications, smart traffic light technology, public education and communication on climate impacts of idling and ways community members can eliminate idling such as avoidance of drive throughs etc.

The map illustrates the community area served by transit options and the corresponding “Performance Score.” Areas of lighter color have higher performance scores which represent a mixture of overall trips per week, number of jobs accessible, number of weekly commuters using the transit options, and equity of transit system. Efforts to improve efficiency, convenience, frequency, and reliability of bus service, particularly in areas less well served can increase public transit ridership.

According to the UC Census ACS five year estimate, the average one-way commute for La Crosse workers is 25.5 minutes, or approximately 21 miles. AAA estimates that the cost per mile for operating a vehicle is $0.74. Consequently, every 1% increase in commuter utilization of public transit in La Crosse may decrease vehicle miles traveled by 5.2 million miles, saving an estimated $3.8 million and eliminating 2,500 metrics tons of GHG emissions annually.

The recommended actions in the CAP are:

1. Use La Crosse Area Planning Committee's Local Studies Program to assess options for funding for public transit improvements and service increases to meet the goals of this CAP. Study to assess options and provide recommendations for implementation.
2. Increase bus frequency. At a minimum, extend 30-minute service on weekdays by one hour until
   6:42 pm on routes 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 to provide flexibility to employees who work into the evening.
3. Increase transit-oriented requirements in commercial design
   standards.
4. Provide transit passes to all youth, households with low-incomes, and individuals with restricted
   mobility.
5. Create a transit-oriented development plan for the downtown/South Ave corrido and include re-
   design of bus stops to increase transit use.
6. Partner with sports and entertainment organizations for free bus rides to/from events.

There are an estimated 55,000 vehicles in La Crosse.  11,000 of those vehicles would need to be replaced with EVs to reach 20%. 

EVs registered in 2020: 133

EVs registered in 2022: 281(source)

Resources:

Inflation Reduction Act Vehicle Upgrades Incentives for Individuals

Purchasing New electric vehicles

• Total tax credit available is up to $7,500
• List of eligible vehicles. Check and note vehicle eligibility upon vehicle purchase as this list will be continually updated and eligibility is dependent upon the purchase date.
• To be eligible for the tax credits
  • Vehicle must have a battery capacity of at least 7-kilowatt hours
  • Have a gross vehicle weight of less than 14,000 pounds
  • Be made by a qualified manufacturer. See index of qualified manufacturers and vehicles
  • Undergo final assembly in North America. To verify, check list of Electric Vehicles with Final Assembly in North America or check final assembly location listed on the vehicle's VIN sticker.
  • Retail prices (MSRP) cannot exceed
    • Pickups, SUVs, and vans must cost < $80,000
    • Cars must cost < $55,000
      • Some car models have exceptions to this limit and have an $80,000 MSRP cap.
• Household income requirements for the tax credits
  • Joint tax return < $300,000
  • Head of household < $225,000
  • Single payer < $150,000
  2023 guidance on EV credit for purchase vehicles(PDF, 384KB).

Purchasing Used electric vehicles

• $4,000 tax credit or 30% of vehicle’s sale price
• Stipulations: vehicle’s model must be at least two years older than the current “new” model year, and the total vehicle cost must be less than $25,000
• Again, there are also income requirements:
  • Joint tax return < $150,000
  • Head of household < $112,300
  • Single payer < $75,000

2023 White House guidance on EV credit for purchased vehicles.

Leasing new electric vehicles

When you lease a vehicle, the company leasing you the vehicle can access a different, commercial vehicle EV tax credit. Typically, companies pass those savings onto you as the person paying for the lease.  The preliminary IRS guidance indicates that leased EVs do not fall under the same Buy American requirements as purchased EVs. That means that some vehicles that are not eligible for a tax credit if you purchase the vehicle will be eligible for a tax credit at lease. (In IRS terms, it’s the difference between a Section 30D credit and a Section 45W credit.) 

Electric vehicle chargers

Individuals can receive a 30% tax credit, up to $1,000, for the installation of a home electric vehicle charger. To qualify, the equipment must be placed in a low-income community or a non-urban area.

Low-income communities include population census tracts where the poverty rate is at least 20% or is a metropolitan or non-metropolitan area census tract where the median family income is less than 80% of the state median family income level.

Inflation Reduction Act Vehicle Upgrades Incentives for Organizations

Fleet Vehicles

The US Dept. of Energy has trainingfor fleet and facility managers interested in developing expertise in fleet electrification.

The IRA includes separate provisions for clean fuel tax credits for consumers and businesses. 

• Theconsumer credits for purchasing a new electric vehicle include specific requirements around vehicle components. 
• The business credit does not include specific requirements around vehicle components

The clean vehicle credit is a tax credit for businesses and is available as Direct Pay for nonprofits and other tax-exempt entities. 

For qualified commercial clean vehicles, the credit equals the lesser of:

• 15% of the entity’s tax basis in the vehicle (30% if the vehicle is not powered by gas or diesel)
• The incremental cost of the vehicle

The maximum credit is $7,500 for qualified vehicles with gross vehicle weight ratings (GVWRs) of under 14,000 pounds and $40,000 for all other vehicles. The credit applies to road vehicles as well as mobile machinery, as defined in § 4053(8) of the Code.

Learn more about the EV credit unde lease arrangements.

See also FAQs for the Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit

Commercial Electric Vehicle Charging

Businesses that install EV chargers and station equipment at their property can qualify for a tax credit of up to 6% of the cost of charging equipment, up to a maximum credit of $100,000 per unit. Projects completed before December 31, 2022, will still be subject to the prior $30,000 cap.

To qualify, the alternative fuel vehicle equipment must be placed in a low-income community or a non-urban area. Low-income communities include population census tracts where the poverty rate is at least 20% or a metropolitan or non-metropolitan area census tract where the median family income is less than 80% of the state median family income level.

Electrification of vehicles is a significant climate solution for the transportation sector. Some equipment and vehicles currently powered with diesel fuel have performance requirements or significant infrastructure challenges making electrification of that equipment a longer-term process.10, 11 This means that for a portion of diesel-powered transportation and equipment, transitional solutions are critical in achieving rapid emissions decreases.

Unlike fossil fuel diesel, also known as petrodiesel, biodiesel is made from plant, animal bi-products, and cooking waste biomass oils and can reduce GHG emissions by over 70% compared to petrodiesel. Renewable diesel is typically derived through biochemical and thermochemical technologies which can be powered by renewable electricity sources like solar and wind – making it essentially an energy storage solution for excess renewable electricity. Renewable diesel fuels reduce GHG emissions by 60% to 80% over petroleum diesel.

Switching to bio and renewable diesel means we can dramatically reduce La Crosse’s climate pollution from equipment while the industry continues its transition to zero emission vehicles.

The recommended actions in the CAP are:

1. Identify viable no/low diesel vehicle fuel alternatives, sources, and outlets for increasing no/low emission fuel alternative availability and utilization. Study to include analysis of efficiency chain and impact on land use and other communities. Study may include exploration of existing supply chains as well as potential new sources such as through a locally operated biodiesel plant, renewable diesel produced through renewable energy and electrolyzer plant, and plasma gasification plant producing hydrogen or renewable diesel.
2. Convert all municipal operations diesel fuel utilization to bio and/or renewable diesel fuel by 2027.
3. Identify and engage partners to establish adequate bio and/or renewable diesel supply chain for community.

Increasing opportunities for and safety of bike and walking routes to all uses including schools, retail nodes, services, workplaces, and recreation centers can support reduced vehicle use by replacing those trips with other types of mobility. According to the La Crosse Climate Action Survey, over 65% of respondents indicated they would walk or bike more frequently if they felt safer.

Studies also show that improvements in pedestrian and bicyclist safety not only improve walking environments, but also contribute to urban renewal, local economic growth, social cohesion, improved air quality and reduction in the harmful effects of traffic noise.

The recommended actions in the CAP are:

1. Provide additional earmarked funding and/or prioritization to projects with clear safety and VMT reduction goals and benefits.
2. Update City's existing Complete Streets ordinance to reflect current best practices and Federal mHighway Administration guidance; see Local Policy Workbook and Best Complete Streets documents.
3. Create bicycle and bike safety and bicyclist rights education opportunities for all ages through
   public workshops and web content.
4. Establish a public safety policy of increased enforcement of traffic laws and ordinances supporting bicyclist rights and safety.
5. Partner with School District, Park & Recreation, and neighborhoods organizations to expand bike
   safety education for students through public workshops and web content.
6. Update the 2012 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.
7. Adopt a bike parking equipment list and design parameters to ensure quality and effectiveness. Install additional bike parking, focusing on shopping and business districts and high-density residential areas.
8. Improve safety for pedestrians and alternative modes of transportation by restoring two-way traffic to one-way streets.
9. Explore approaches to measuring walking and biking (such as through bike counters) at key locations in the City. Example: City of Madison.
10. Identify streets where a “road diet" (a reduction in the number of travel lanes and/or effective street width) would achieve systemic improvements; then, implement road diets.
11. Convert Pearl Street into a “shared street”—a street shared by all modes of transportation with very low vehicle speed limits and without formal distinctions between spaces dedicated to pedestrians, cyclists, and motorized vehicles. Consider days or hours when closing the street to motor vehicles would be beneficial.
12. Implement recommendations of the 2020 Safe Routes to School Plan.
13. Improve City's 'Bicycle Friendly Community' rating by implementing 'Key Steps to Gold' recommendations on report card.

In 2020, the City of La Crosse municipal vehicle fleet consumed a total of 89,914 gallons of gasoline—just over 35% of the total fleet fuels consumed. Converting 30% of the municipal gasoline vehicle fleet to EV by 2030 will reduce municipal GHG emissions by 216 MT (Metric tons) annually.

The recommended actions in the CAP are:

1. Implement the La Crosse Energy Action Plan's municipal operations EV strategies.
2. Identify opportunities for electrifying, right-sizing, and improving overall efficiency of vehicles. Incorporate EV's through right-timing purchases or leases with a planned vehicle-replacement schedule.
3. Require new light-duty City fleet vehicles to be electric or use no/low carbon alternative fuels by 2030; require new medium and heavy-duty city fleet vehicle purchases to be electric, use no/low carbon alternative fuels, or meet high-efficiency standards by 2040.

Increasing fuel efficiency of the City’s remaining gasoline fleet by 10% by 2030 will reduce municipal GHG emissions by an additional 57 MT while saving the City as much as $28,000 annually.

Recommended actions include:

TM 7- 1 When EVs are not available or practical, lease fuel-efficient internal-combustion engine vehicles that achieve a minimum 10% increase in fuel efficiency over replaced vehicle. 

Off-road equipment comprises a significant portion of fossil fuel consumption nationally while they also typically have higher GHG emissions (per gallon of fuel) than those of on-road vehicles. In fact, 1 hour of gas-powered lawn mower use produces 11 times the emissions of driving the average new car for an hour.21 In addition, reduction of fossil fuel off-road equipment use is associated with improved emissions as well as improved air quality, particularly for the users of
the equipment.

The recommended actions in the CAP are:

1. Replace municipal off-road vehicles and lawn equipment with electric and low-carbon fuel alternative options. Establish emissions standards, testing, and biofuel preference for any combustion vehicles remaining in the equipment fleet. Encourage other institutions to implement their own policies.
2. Develop an incentive program to convert fuel-burning lawn equipment such as gas-powered lawn mowers and blowers to electric. Incentive should focus on increasing community equity. Work with electric utility on creation and promotion of incentives.

Moving ourselves and our goods and services from place to place is energy intensive while the vehicles we use for that mobility are material resource intensive.  In addition to transportation vehicles, off-road equipment like construction, recreational and lawn equipment consume significant amounts of fossil fuels for their operation. 

In La Crosse, the Transportation and Mobility sector accounts for 34.4% of community-wide GHG emissions and is projected to decrease as the transportation sector electrifies.

• Impacts of climate change on infrastructure lifespan and need for maintenance and repair
• Potential for transportation disruptions due to direct damage from extreme events 
• Impacts of climate change on ease of movement around the community and reliable access to neighborhoods, workplaces, and critical services
• Factors that could cause delays or interruptions in public transportation services or make using public transportation more difficult and less desirable
• Impacts of climate change on the safety and comfort of pedestrians and cyclists of all abilities

• Increased opportunities for public transit and active transportation can help address health disparities for many at-risk populations.
• Affordable and reliable mobility options for people with special transportation needs can significantly improve  transportation equity. Populations with special transportation needs include older adults, youth, persons with disabilities, and persons with reduced incomes.
• Some neighborhoods in La Crosse have fewer housing and transportation options than others. This can limit people’s choices in where they live and how they get to work or other activities. People that rely on public transit service (with fixed routes) or who rent their home will be limited in where they may find housing that meets both needs.

The strategies and actions included in this section of the Climate Action Plan are projected to reduce the community’s annual GHG emissions by 61,375 metric tons (MT) annually by 2030 - a 22.8% reduction from 2019 levels. Changes in business-as-usual impacts over the same period are anticipated to reduce an additional 61,804 metric tons. The result is a total community-wide Transportation and Mobility sector reduction of 45.7% below 2019 levels. When compared to 2019 emissions, this is equivalent to eliminating over 25,000 of currentLa Crosse vehicles from the road, or 2.4 billion cubic feet of human-made greenhouse gas atmosphere annually by 2030.

The total change to sector emissions include CAP reductions and business-as-usual (BAU)
emission changes as follows*:

* Includes transportation related reductions associated with Section 03 Land Use and Housing
strategies.