Starting Sunday, June 7, the Milwaukee County Transit System will launch its summer service changes.
Changes include restoring mid-day service to some routes, route changes and modifications tied to street construction projects across Milwaukee County.
Here is what you need to know.
Mid-day service
Mid-day service is returning to the following routes on weekdays.
Route 28: Buses will operate between approximately 5 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Route 33: Buses will run between 5:45 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Route 34: Buses will operate between 5 a.m. and 6:15 p.m.
Route 55: Buses will run between 5:30 a.m. and 6:15 p.m.
Buses will come around every 30-35 minutes throughout the day.
There are no changes to weekend schedules.
Updated schedules
MCTS is adjusting schedules for routes 19, 20, 21, 24, 31, 33, 35, 53, 54, 59, 60, 66, 68, 92 and the RedLine to improve the timeliness of buses for customers and bus operators. Find specific details on the updated schedule for each route by visiting RideMCTS.com/schedules.
Additional route adjustments
Southbound BlueLine buses will use a new route between North 64th Street and West Silver Spring Drive and North 60th Street and West Villard Avenue.
Southbound buses will travel south on 64th Street to Custer Avenue, east on Custer Avenue to 60th Street and south on 60th Street to the regular route.
This means the BlueLine stop at 64th and Villard will no longer be served in the southbound direction, and the BlueLine stop at 60th and Villard is moving across the street to the northwest corner of the intersection. There is no change for northbound BlueLine buses.
Additionally, on weekdays this summer Route 66 will now serve the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the upper East Side, maintaining access across the Locust Street Bridge throughout the year.
Routes with detours
Multiple routes will be on long-term detours starting or continuing through the summer.
Route 18 is detouring eastbound only off West National Avenue using West Greenfield Avenue from Miller Park Way to South Layton Boulevard. All trip times have been shifted to accommodate the added detour time.
Route 24, Route 80 and the GreenLine will continue their current detours.
Wisconsin I-94 East-West project
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is partnering with MCTS to mitigate the impacts of road and bridge closures, detours and traffic congestion along bus routes. Throughout the duration of the I-94 East-West project, which will last eight years, MCTS will add one bus per weekday along the routes where riders will be most impacted.
Below is a list of additional planned summer detours as construction work continues.
- CONNECT 1: Could experience congestion along West Wisconsin Avenue and West Bluemound Road during East-West I-94 construction. Time has been added to the schedule to accommodate the impact.
- Route 30: Could experience congestion along West Wisconsin Avenue during East-West I-94 construction. Time has been added to the schedule to accommodate the impact.
- Route 44U: Detour continues due to the closure of the eastbound 68th Street on-ramp to I-94. MCTS service to State Fair Park and Ride Lot will be maintained throughout. Trip times have been shifted to accommodate the added detour time.
- Route 60: Will continue to detour off 60th Street between Main Street and West Bluemound Road, as part of the I-94 construction project. The detour will be in both directions and last until late 2028. All trip times will be shifted to accommodate the added detour time.
- PurpleLine: Will continue to detour from 27th Street between West Clybourn Street and West National Avenue as part of the I-94 construction project. The detour will be in both directions and last until late 2027. All trip times will be shifted to accommodate the added detour time.
For more information about summer service changes, you can visit RideMCTS.com.
Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.
