The Hop will be debuting its first new route extension on a limited basis this fall. Here's what to know.
This fall, Milwaukee's streetcar, known as The Hop, will be debuting its first new route extension on a limited basis, The Hop announced Tuesday.
The new route, called the L Line, will serve as an "important connection" between the existing M Line and popular lakefront destinations, the news release said. "The highlight" of the new route? The Couture's transit plaza, which remains under construction.
“We know the public has been eagerly awaiting the opening of the L Line, and we’re pleased to be able to offer this opportunity for our city to begin exploring the new L Line even as the Couture construction continues to progress overhead,” Milwaukee commissioner of Public Works Jerrel Kruschke said in the release.
“While the eventual opening of the Lakefront station itself will be a transformational milestone for The Hop, this opportunity to begin providing preview service will be tremendously valuable both in terms of allowing the city to become acquainted with the new route and how it will interface with the existing M Line, while also allowing our operations to fine-tune this service in advance of a very exciting summer in Milwaukee next year.”
Here's what to know about the new route, including where it's located, when it'll be available for use and more.
Where will The Hop's new L Line be located? And, where will it will travel to?
The L-Line's streetcar will operate in a figure-eight pattern, traveling east on Michigan Street, south through the Couture site, west on Clybourn Street, north on Milwaukee Street to Kilbourn Avenue, and south on Broadway to St. Paul Avenue, the news release said.
The new line, which will be nearly 2 miles long, will incorporate five existing streetcar stations along the Milwaukee/Broadway corridor and three new stops along a new spur connecting to the lakefront.
When will the L Line be available for use?
During its "preview phase," the L Line will run from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays, beginning Oct. 29, the news release said. Full service for the new line is expected to begin in Spring 2024.
Once up and running, how often will the L Line car provide service?
The L Line car will provide service every 20 minutes to these existing stations:
Wisconsin Ave NB/SB
City Hall NB/SB
Historic Third Ward EB
Plus, these new stations:
Michigan at Jackson EB
Clybourn at Jefferson WB
And eventually, the Lakefront inside the Couture transit plaza.
Will riders be able to transfer between the existing M Line and the new L Line?
Yes, at five overlapping stations, per the news release.
The L Line will provide an "important connection" between the existing M Line and many of the city's popular destinations, including Henry Maier Festival Park, the Milwaukee Art Museum, Discovery World, Veterans Park and the lakefront, the release said.
Will the Lakefront Hop station within the Couture's transit plaza be open during the 'preview phase'?
Not yet. While the Lakefront Hop station within the Couture’s transit plaza is "the highlight" of the new route, it will remain closed until construction is complete "out of an abundance of caution," the news release said.
However, the streetcar will still pass through the transit plaza, providing a "unique opportunity" for riders to see inside the Couture construction site, the release said.
Where can I find more information on the new L Line?
For more information and updates on the L Line, visit thehopmke.com.
About The Hop
The Hop launched in 2018 on a 2.1-mile route that runs in a loop through eastern downtown to the edge of the Historic Third Ward. It was one of the signature projects of former Democratic Mayor Tom Barrett, who said on its first day in service that expansion was already being studied.
It is also a project that has long drawn the ire of Republican state legislators, who view it as wasteful and "frivolous," in the words of Assembly Speaker Robin Vos.
A relatively new law makes expansion of The Hop more difficult
A relatively new sweeping local government funding law passed by the Republican-controlled state Legislature and signed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers makes expansion of The Hop more difficult by significantly narrowing the streetcar's potential funding sources.
There is an exception for costs for the lakefront line tied to the Couture apartment high-rise construction.
Tax incremental financing districts defer adding the value of new developments to the property tax base until project funding is paid. The maximum life of tax incremental financing districts is between 20 and 27 years, according to state law.
However, the L Line extension was funded largely by a Federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant the city was awarded in 2015, the news release said.
The new law also prevents the city from using tax money to develop, operate or maintain the streetcar.
Alison Dirr of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: The Hop to debut first new route extension on limited basis this fall
