MILWAUKEE — For Nathan Gladney, a student at MSOE, The Hop has become an integral part of their weekly routine.
"Since most of my services I use are around here like haircuts, doctors, so I can get that all along The Hop," said Gladney.
He anticipates using the service even more during the winter months and said he is glad The Hop is expanding, although he would like to see tracks extend even more.
The new L-Line is slated to run on Oct. 29, offering limited service initially, with operations taking place only on Sundays. The route will run along the M-Line on Broadway to Milwaukee Street then loop around to Michigan St. and Clybourn St. passing key attractions along the way.
Hear our full conversation with TMJ4 News anchor Adriana Mendez, WTMJ Radio's Adam Roberts, and Milwaukee Business Journal's Sean Ryan:
"It’s going to provide access to the lakefront from downtown," said Jerrel Kruschke, the Commissioner of the Milwaukee Department of Public Works.
The initial launch of the the L-Line will feature only two stops on Michigan and Clybourn, and operate one day a week due to active construction at The Couture, a 44-story luxury high-rise building.
Kruschke said getting the new L-Line up and running while construction is simultaneously happening has been a challenge.
"It’s been a back-and-forth of providing the fire hydrants, there are the safety fences there, we don’t want to hinder or delay The Couture so it has been a challenge," said Kruschke.
Once fully operational, the 2-mile L-Line will have eight stops. Five of these will be shared with the existing M-Line along the Milwaukee/Broadway corridor, while three new stops along the lakefront will exclusively cater to the L-Line's passengers.
Dan Bukiewicz, President of the Milwaukee Building and Construction Trades Council, said the Couture stop is unique in its design but he thinks the expansion of The Hope will give downtown an economic boost.
"They literally designed the building with The Hop in mind and it’s going to serve as a hub," he said. "When you move people and foot traffic, you move commerce and money."
In the first eight months of this year, approximately 342,035 people have chosen The Hop as their preferred mode of transportation.
For Nathan, he anticipates using The Hop during Summerfest next year.
"When I took Summerfest route to Summerfest last year, it was about a 20-minute wait because of how busy it was," said Nathan.
Kruschke said utilizing this public transit means fewer cars on the road, less parking congestion, and reduced traffic in the downtown area.
For now, this Sunday service is available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., starting on Oct. 29.
Full service is anticipated to begin in April 2024, as the Couture construction project progresses further.
Milwaukee’s Streetcar: A Critical Crossroads, was done in partnership with the Milwaukee Business Journal and 620 WTMJ Radio.
While Milwaukee officials seem interested in expanding the streetcar further after opening the new L-Line, they haven’t yet found a way to pay for it. Sean Ryan from the Milwaukee Business Journal breaks down how the City of Cincinnati has used to raise money for its streetcar service.
As of right now riding the street car is free but would you pay a fare for The Hop if it went where you wanted it to? Adam Roberts from 620 WTMJ Radio asked listeners that exact question and looked at how much revenue The Hop could generate with a fare system in place.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
