Milwaukee streetcar extension; new Hop line to open next week
The Hop streetcar in Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE - The Hop’s new route extension fully opens on Thursday, April 11.
As part of the full opening of the L-Line, the streetcar will also begin serving the Lakefront stop inside the Couture transit concourse, which provides riders with access to the lakefront and area attractions, including Summerfest, Milwaukee Art Museum and Discovery World.
"This is a milestone years in the making and we couldn’t be more excited to finally provide streetcar service directly to Milwaukee’s lakefront," Milwaukee Commissioner of Public Works Jerrel Kruschke said. "The new transit concourse in the Couture will be a transformative resource for public transit in the region and a tremendous asset to our riders, who can now access all that Milwaukee’s lakefront has to offer in a safe and convenient manner. We’re looking forward to an extremely busy and exciting summer for Milwaukee and The Hop."
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The L-Line opened on a limited basis on Oct. 29, 2023, providing service only on Sundays and without utilizing the Lakefront station while construction remained ongoing at the Couture. Beginning next Thursday at noon, the L-Line service will expand to seven days per week, which mirrors the M-Line’s existing hours of operation.
The Hop Lakefront Line (L-Line) map
The new extension incorporates five existing streetcar stations along the Milwaukee/Broadway corridor, with three new stops along a new spur connecting to the lakefront.
The L-Line operates independently from the M-Line, served by one streetcar operating in a figure-eight pattern proceeding east on Michigan St., south through the Couture site, west on Clybourn St., north on Milwaukee St. to Kilbourn Ave, and south on Broadway to St. Paul Ave.
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Riders will be able to transfer between the M- and L-Lines at any of the five overlapping stations.
More information is available at www.thehopmke.com/l-line.