The “Second Causeway” refers to the north-south transportation corridor connecting the South side of La Crosse, originally an extension of 12th Street on the South side, to the southern edge of George Street, located on the North side of the city, ending at St. Andrew Street. Although years of effort were exuded on both on the part of the City and the County to construct this road, it did not become a reality until during the Depression in 1931.(1) Alderman C.F. Lang was credited with pushing through the project; hence the roadway was named for him. Traffic congestion on the original causeway (Mill St. or Copeland Ave. or North Third St.) by the increased workforce of the La Crosse Rubber Mills was a major factor.
Originally the Council wanted to build this causeway north from West Ave., but Franz Bartl’s Brewery was located there. Bartl wanted between $16,600 and $17,170 for a strip of land running right down the middle of the Bartl Brewing Co. complex, wiping out the barn, several sheds, a garage, a frame building, and coming within three to six feet of the Bartl home.(2) This would have divided the complex basically into a brick house on one side and the stone brewery building and its ice house on the other. The Council, rejecting Bartl’s offer, authorized condemnation proceedings to begin at that same meeting.
An independent appraisal reported to the City that the value wasonly $8,500, much less than Bartl’s offer. As a result of negotiations, Bartl’s offer was reduced to $15,900 by June 1930.(3) Since the City already owned the northern edge of 12th Street, the Council decided to connect the new causeway with 12th Street instead of West Ave.
Other problems occurred with crossing the right-of-way of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, but the roadway was eventually completed. In 1957, the approach was relocated to extend West Ave. past La Crosse Street and connect with Lang Drive.
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(1) Hoffman, E.H., “Construction of Lang Drive across Marsh, River Bridge Result of Long City-County Fight over Suitable Location,” La Crosse Tribune 16 May 1941.
(2) 2nd Causeway, 9 May 1930, Resolutions & Reports, Committee on Highways, Common Council, City of La Crosse, La Crosse Series 37, La Crosse Public Library Archives.
(3) 2nd Causeway, 30 June 1930, Resolutions & Reports, Committee on Highways, Common Council, City of La Crosse, La Crosse Series 37, La Crosse Public Library Archives.
