The Hop's lakefront loop starts daily run after years of delays - mainly tied to The Couture

Tom Daykin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Updated ·2 min read
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Downtown Milwaukee's streetcar lakefront loop is finally running a daily service after years of delays − mainly tied to development of The Couture apartment high-rise.

The Hop MKE's L-Line runs on East Michigan and East Clybourn streets between The Couture, at 909 E. Michigan St., just west of North Lincoln Memorial Drive, and the streetcar's main line along North Milwaukee Street.

A Thursday ceremony marked the debut with speeches from Mayor Cavalier Johnson, County Executive David Crowley and others.

They said The Hop, its construction financed mainly through federal grants, helps boost property values, provides greater connectivity, and gives people another choice for getting around downtown.

"I want everyone in Milwaukee to have options," Johnson told the crowd.

Rick Barrett of Barrett Lo Visionary Development, speaks as The Hop, MCTS and The Couture celebrate the opening of the New Transit Concourse with a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday, April 11, 2024, at Couture Transit Concourse located at 909 E. Michigan St., Milwaukee.
Rick Barrett of Barrett Lo Visionary Development, speaks as The Hop, MCTS and The Couture celebrate the opening of the New Transit Concourse with a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday, April 11, 2024, at Couture Transit Concourse located at 909 E. Michigan St., Milwaukee.

The Hop started limited service on Oct. 29, running only on Sundays. The full daily service comes in time for summer's lakefront festivals as well as July's Republican National Convention.

The upgrade to daily service comes as the transit concourse begins operations on the street level of The Couture, a 44-story, 322-unit high-rise that begins opening apartments this month.

The Hop stops at the concourse which connects the loop between Michigan and Clybourn streets. The lakefront line has additional stops at Michigan and Jackson streets and Clybourn and Jefferson streets.

The concourse also provides a key stop for Milwaukee County Transit System’s Connect 1 bus rapid transit service, starting June 2.

Mayor Cavalier Johnson seen exiting The Hop as MCTS and The Couture as they celebrate the opening of the new transit concourse with a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday, April 11, 2024, at Couture Transit Concourse located at 909 E. Michigan St., Milwaukee.
Mayor Cavalier Johnson seen exiting The Hop as MCTS and The Couture as they celebrate the opening of the new transit concourse with a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday, April 11, 2024, at Couture Transit Concourse located at 909 E. Michigan St., Milwaukee.

That will include Connect 1 buses running on Saturdays that will arrive every 10 minutes through Aug. 24 to support the summer festival season. Connect 1 began operating in 2023, and offers express service between downtown and Wauwatosa's Milwaukee Regional Medical Center.

The Hop operates Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 12 a.m., Saturday from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m., and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Streetcars arrive every 15 minutes during peak hours and every 20 minutes during off peak hours and on Sunday. The rides are free.

The lakefront line initially was to open by the end of 2020. But that was postponed due to delays in starting construction on The Couture and its publicly funded transit concourse.

"Good things take time," said Richard Barrett, owner of Barrett Lo Visionary Development LLC, which operates The Couture.

Tom Daykin can be emailed at tdaykin@jrn.com and followed on Instagram, X and Facebook.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee streetcar lakefront loop starts daily run after long delays