City council member not very excited about parking ramp costs, additions

Cherf feels taxpayers burdened enough by parking

Parking in La Crosse seems to be a great burden on just about everyone, from the city maintaining ramps to the citizens trying to park.

So, it’s not exactly with great excitement La Crosse city council member James Cherf is embracing plans by the city to add a couple levels onto the Riverside Parking garage, downtown.  

“Well, I can see the necessity of them (parking ramps), but I really do find it disappointing that the taxpayers in the city of La Crosse need to continue to fund these things,” Cherf said.  

The council is getting asked this month to approve $600,000 for just the design work on two levels of parking. A council committee votes on that plan this week.  

The entire project could cost around $7 million. 

Currently, the Riverside ramp has 538 spaces. It was built by developer Don Weber and then transferred to city ownership as a way to cut costs on the project. The ramp is still maintained by Weber.