Photo by Mike Burmesch
When the Hop, Milwaukee’s electric trolley system, first opened in late 2018, it was a source of great excitement, fierce debate and reserved wonderment about things to come. The Hop was quickly incorporated into everyday life in Downtown Milwaukee and was largely viewed as the first great opening act in a series of revitalization efforts throughout the city.
Unfortunately, construction delays, lockdowns, passenger limitations and general anxiety during the COVID-era have served to temper those expectations. Much of the talk about the future of Milwaukee has centered on a return to normalcy, rather than an anticipation of greater things. Greater things are in store for Milwaukee, however, and they are going to be electric.
Hop Expansion
In addition to the current M-Line, which runs in a loop from Burns Commons on Ogden Avenue down to the Milwaukee Intermodal Station on St. Paul Avenue, construction on the long-awaited L-Line has finally commenced. Originally scheduled to enter full operation in 2020, delays relating to the construction of the Couture high rise have pushed that date to sometime in 2022. The new line will connect the existing loop of the M-Line to Lincoln Memorial Drive via East Michigan and East Clybourn streets, expanding the fleet of trollies in active service from two to five.
Future proposed expansions will extend the Hop’s service range even further throughout the city. The first phase of the proposed plan will conduct riders north along Fifth Street, terminating at the Fiserv Forum. The second phase will add 2.4 miles of track running from a northern terminal in Bronzeville to its southmost stop in Walker’s Point. While these projects currently remain in the proposal phase, the success of the M-Line, coupled with the momentum of the current construction of the L-Line may bring them into realization at a rate much quicker.
These additions will not only improve foot traffic to Downtown businesses and attractions but will also serve to increase ease of travel in and out of the downtown area while decreasing road congestion and air pollution.
Milwaukee’s Nova Bus Fleet
Coming in the summer of 2022, Milwaukee commuters may find their ride significantly quieter, cleaner and quicker, thanks to the Milwaukee County Transit System’s (MCTS) upcoming acquisition of 15 all-electric city buses. The contract to produce these buses was awarded to Nova Bus, an alternative energy bus manufacturer that is part of the Volvo Group, marking the company’s first sale of its new LFSe+ model in the United States.
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On a single charge, the battery-powered Nova Bus can travel up to 247 miles, with a total charging time of only 3.25 hours. Those numbers can be improved even further through the use of an on-route charging station, where the buses can dock for a period of six minutes while remaining in service. Passengers on the new Nova Bus fleet will have access to USB charging ports for electronic devices, offboard fare collection, bike racks and state-of-the-art securement systems for individuals with disabilities.
For people who spend a significant part of their day commuting by bus, Milwaukee’s investment in this infrastructure can have a measurable improvement in day-to-day quality of life. Since the Nova Bus fleet is completely battery powered, allowing them to run nearly silently while emitting zero exhaust fumes, Milwaukee residents living on or near a bus line will undoubtedly be grateful for the upgrade as well.
The East-West Bus Rapid Transit Project
Of the 15 buses purchased from Nova Bus, MCTS has allocated four to operate on existing routes, and 11 to serve on the upcoming East-West Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line. Already under construction, the BRT project is designed to alleviate congestion and decrease transit times along some of the city’s most traveled corridors. The nine-mile transit line will deliver passengers to 33 location-optimized stations between the city’s lakefront and the Watertown Plank Road Park and Ride via Bluemound Road, Wisconsin Avenue and sections of 92nd St. Along the route, dedicated bus lanes will help to reduce travel times between stops for passengers as well as keeping bus traffic from slowing down other motorists. To further speed things along, the Nova Bus has the added benefit of traffic light priority throughout the city, meaning less stopping time for cross traffic.
Scheduled for completion in September 2022, the BRT project is a much-needed overhaul to some of the most essential east-west passageways in the city. Many of Milwaukee’s existing roadways were not intended to accommodate the sheer volume of traffic they are tasked with each day. This modernization, while adding new infrastructure, may serve to reduce wear on other existing roads and bridges throughout the city.
Bringing the City Together
Photo by Mike Burmesch
Between the Hop Expansion, MCTS’s incoming fleet of new buses and the vast expansion of the BRT project, electric vehicles are changing the Milwaukee landscape, both literally and figuratively. Beyond the already impressive efficiencies and environmental improvements afforded by the city’s expanding electric vehicle infrastructure, these changes can have a far-reaching human impact as well. Milwaukee is rapidly becoming a much more commuter friendly city, which means its residents and visitors can enjoy greater mobility as a whole. Upon completion of these projects, Milwaukee residents will be afforded improved access to jobs, city resources and services. Businesses can reach out to new customer bases. The city can become more integrated. Following what has felt like an interminable period of separation, isolation and hand-wringing uncertainty, it is reassuring to be able to look forward and see great things are, in fact, on their way.
