The La Crosse Public Library and the City of La Crosse Planning Department have worked together to create a historic look at intersections in the city of La Crosse.  The purpose of this project is to provide an idea of what intersections looked like in 1970 and what changes have occurred to the present date (2003).

While many of the intersections around the city have changed in appearance, surrounding development, and structure, the Library and the city have chosen a select group of those that are the most used and have changed most dramatically.  Fifteen intersections have been selected from July 1970, and duplicate photographs of the intersections were taken July 21st through July 31st, 2003, and a few in October 2003.  Each page contains one intersection photograph from 1970 and one present day intersection photograph for comparison. 

The original photos taken in July 1970 were to demonstrate traffic flow and safety issues concerning several La Crosse city intersections.  This was done to accompany a grant proposal to the federal TOPICS program.  TOPICS stands for for Traffic Operations Program to Increase Capacity and Safety.  The program was an appropriation from Congress "to municipalities with a population of 5,000 or more for traffic operations projects designed to reduce traffic congestion and facilitate the movement of traffic." 

A committee consisting of Ronald G. Bracegirdle, City Planner; Robert W. Loeffler, Police Dept. Captain; Bernard A. Mullenbach, City Engineer; Bob D. Schroeder, Director of Public Works; and Roger Winter, Division of Highways, La Crosse Office of the WisDOT, were appointed to the La Crosse TOPICS Advisory Committee.  In the end, La Crosse did receive federal money to improve at least three intersections.

These photographs accompany other planning and transportation information that can be found at the La Crosse Public Library Archives. This collection is part of Series 36 Planning Department Records, 1952-1996.

Additional information about public records collections can be found here.