MCTS NEXT Phase 1 -  March 7th, 2021

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Route 15 (Holton-Kinnickinnic): New High Frequency Service and Improving Reliability

• Route 15 will become a high frequency route – meaning buses will arrive every 15 minutes on weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Buses will run more frequently on Saturdays while Sunday service will be similar to what it is today.
• Route 15’s routing on the north end will be shortened to end at Capitol Drive & Richards Street instead of operating on Port Washington Road to Bayshore.
  • Any Route 15 riders who still need to access Bayshore can transfer to our new route, Route 68 (Port Washington Road), at Capitol & Richards. Click here for more information about Route 68.
• Route 15’s routing on the south end will be adjusted. Buses will travel south along 10^th Avenue and Chicago Avenue, ending at Chicago & Drexel. Northbound buses will head west on Drexel, north on 15^th, east on Marquette, then north on 10^th like it is today.
  • Route 15’s service on Madison Avenue and 5^th Avenue will be replaced by Route 52 (see Route 52 details). There will no longer by any service on Columbia Avenue due to low ridership.
• Click here to see a map that compares this route’s new routing to its previous routing.
• The digital destination signs on the outside of northbound buses will read “15 TO CAPITOL / 15 HOLTON-KK.” Signs for southbound buses will read “15 TO CHICAGO/DREXEL / 15 HOLTON-KK.”
• Some bus stops along this route are being removed. Click here to see the full list.
  • The majority of riders have told us they want faster service – and they’re willing to walk a little extra to get it. That’s why our team is working hard to make sure bus stops are spaced appropriately – or ‘balanced.’ Bus Stop Balancing means shortening your travel time by judiciously removing some stops that are too close to each other, are not used often, or do not meet standards for being accessible to persons with disabilities.
• Check out this video where a member of the MCTS Planning team explains Route 15’s changes.
  

View Route 15

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Route 19 (Dr. M.L.K., Jr. Drive-S. 13^th): Expanding High Frequency Service and Improving Reliability

• Route 19’s high frequency service will be expanded to include the S. 13th Street branch. This means that buses will arrive every 15 minutes on weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. along the entire route from Florist Avenue to Zellman Court.
  • Service on the S. 20^th Street branch between National Avenue and College Avenue will be replaced by a new route, Route 20 (see Route 20 details).
  • Route 19 will no longer serve National Avenue, S. 2^nd Street, and Plankinton Avenue. Buses will instead run on 6th Street between Lapham Avenue and Kilbourn Avenue in order to shorten travel times.
• Weekend service north of Mitchell Street will run as often as it does today.
• Weekend service south of Mitchell Street will run more frequently than today – 20 to 25 minutes as opposed to 40 to 50 minutes!
• Click here to see a map that compares this route’s new routing to its previous routing.
• Some bus stops along this route are being removed. Click here to see the full list.
  • The majority of riders have told us they want faster service – and they’re willing to walk a little extra to get it. That’s why our team is working hard to make sure bus stops are spaced appropriately – or ‘balanced.’ Bus Stop Balancing means shortening your travel time by judiciously removing some stops that are too close to each other, are not used often, or do not meet standards for being accessible to persons with disabilities.
• Check out this video where a member of the MCTS Planning team explains Route 19’s changes.
  

View Route 19

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NEW! Route 20 (S. 20^th Street): Better Connections to Jobs, Shopping and Simplifying Service

• Route 20 is a new Daytime route that replaces Route 19’s S. 20^th Street branch between National Avenue and College Avenue. The southern end of Route 20 will be the Franklin Walmart on S. 27^th Street.
• As a Daytime route, Route 20 buses will run from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. seven days a week. Buses will arrive as often as they do today - every 30 to 45 minutes.
• The digital destination signs on the outside of northbound buses will read “20 TO 2ND/NATIONAL / 20 S. 20TH STREET.” Signs for southbound buses will read “20 TO COLLEGE-WALMART / 20 S. 20TH STREET.”
• Click here to see a map that compares this route’s new routing to its previous routing.
• Click here to see a full list of stops served by Route 20.
• Check out this video where a member of the MCTS Planning team explains the new Route 20.
  

View Route 20

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Route 31 (State-Highland): Better Connections to Jobs, Shopping and Simplifying Service

• Route 31’s routing will be adjusted so that it only operates on Highland Boulevard, State Street, Watertown Plank Road and Mayfair Road between downtown and Mayfair Mall.
  1. Service on State Street and Watertown Plank Road will be extended to Mayfair Mall via Mayfair Road.
  2. Route 31’s service on Vliet Street and Milwaukee Avenue will be removed, but Route 33 (Vliet-84^th) will be extended from 60^th to Harwood Avenue to maintain bus service on these streets (see Route 33 details). Route 31’s service on Ludington Avenue and North Avenue will be removed due to low ridership.
     1. Any Route 33 passengers along Vliet Street and Milwaukee Avenue who need to access Mayfair Mall can transfer from Route 33 to Route 31 at Harmonee & Harwood.

1. To improve frequency on the entire route, Route 31 will stay on Watertown Plank Road between N. 87^th and N. 92^nd Streets.  This route will no longer wind around the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center, but three bus stops on Watertown Plank Road are within walking distance of most destinations within the MRMC.
2. The eastern end routing to the Intermodal Station will use Highland Avenue and 6^th Street to improve access to MATC. Service on N. 12^th Street and Wisconsin Avenue will be removed but will continue to be served by other routes.
3. Buses will run more frequently on State Street and Watertown Plank – 25 to 30 minutes as opposed to 45 to 50 minutes. Buses on Highland Avenue will run as often as today.
4. Direct service to the Milwaukee County Research Park along Innovation Drive will be reduced due to low ridership. Buses will continue to serve the weekday 8:00 a.m. start time and 5:00 p.m. end time.
5. Click here to see a map that compares this route’s new routing to its previous routing.
6. The digital destination signs on the outside of westbound buses will read “31 TO MAYFAIR / 31 STATE-HIGHLAND.” Signs for buses that travel to the Milwaukee County Research Park will read “31 TO MAYFAIR / 31 VIA INNOVATION / 31 STATE-HIGHLAND.”
7. Some bus stops along this route are being removed. Click here to see the full list.
   1. The majority of riders have told us they want faster service – and they’re willing to walk a little extra to get it. That’s why our team is working hard to make sure bus stops are spaced appropriately – or ‘balanced.’ Bus Stop Balancing means shortening your travel time by judiciously removing some stops that are too close to each other, are not used often, or do not meet standards for being accessible to persons with disabilities.

• Check out this video where a member of the MCTS Planning team explains Route 31’s changes.

View Route 31

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Route 33 (Vliet-84^th):  Better Connections to Jobs, Shopping and Simplifying Service

• Route 33, which previously ended its westbound service at 60^th and Vliet, will be extended! Westbound buses will travel on Milwaukee Avenue, Harwood Avenue, and Harmonee Avenue and then south via Glenview Avenue and S. 84^th Street to Greenfield Avenue. The route will then travel east to 76^th and south to National Avenue.
  1. These changes will expand connections to downtown Wauwatosa, State Fair Park, and downtown West Allis.
• Buses on Vliet Street will run as often as they do today. Buses on Glenview Avenue and S. 84^th Street will run more frequently -- 30 to 35 minutes as opposed to 50 to 60 minutes.
• Click here to see a map that compares this route’s new routing to its previous routing.
• The digital destination signs on the outside of westbound buses will read “33 TO NATIONAL/76TH / 33 VLIET-84TH."
• Some bus stops along this route are being removed. Click here to see the full list.
  1. The majority of riders have told us they want faster service – and they’re willing to walk a little extra to get it. That’s why our team is working hard to make sure bus stops are spaced appropriately – or ‘balanced.’ Bus Stop Balancing means shortening your travel time by judiciously removing some stops that are too close to each other, are not used often, or do not meet standards for being accessible to persons with disabilities.
• Check out this video where a member of the MCTS Planning team explains Route 33’s changes.

View Route 33

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Route 35 (35^th Street): New High Frequency Service and Better Connections to Jobs, Shopping

• Route 35 will become a high frequency route – meaning buses will arrive every 15 minutes on weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  Weekend service will run as often as it does today.
• Route 35’s routing on the south end will be extended past Howard Avenue. Southbound buses will travel southwest on Loomis Road and then west on Layton Avenue to S. 60^th Street.
  • Northbound buses will then use the freeway to get back to Loomis Road, resuming the regular northbound routing.
  • These changes will expand service to jobs along Layton Avenue and provide new connections to other routes in the system.
• Click here to see a map that compares this route’s new routing to its previous routing.
• The digital destination signs on the outside of southbound buses will read “35 TO LAYTON/60TH / 35 35TH STREET."
• Some bus stops along this route are being removed. Click here to see the full list.
  • The majority of riders have told us they want faster service – and they’re willing to walk a little extra to get it. That’s why our team is working hard to make sure bus stops are spaced appropriately – or ‘balanced.’ Bus Stop Balancing means shortening your travel time by judiciously removing some stops that are too close to each other, are not used often, or do not meet standards for being accessible to persons with disabilities.
• Check out this video where a member of the MCTS Planning team explains Route 35’s changes.

View Route 35

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Route 51 (Oklahoma Avenue): New High Frequency Service and Better Connections to Jobs, Shopping

• Route 51 will become a high frequency route – meaning buses will arrive every 15 minutes on weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  Weekend service will run as often as it does today.  
• Route 51’s routing will remain the same as today.
• Some bus stops along this route are being removed. Click here to see the full list.
  • The majority of riders have told us they want faster service – and they’re willing to walk a little extra to get it. That’s why our team is working hard to make sure bus stops are spaced appropriately – or ‘balanced.’ Bus Stop Balancing means shortening your travel time by judiciously removing some stops that are too close to each other, are not used often, or do not meet standards for being accessible to persons with disabilities.
• Check out this video where a member of the MCTS Planning team explains Route 51’s changes.

View Route 51

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Route 52 (Clement-Pennsylvania): Simplifying Service and Improving Reliability

• Route 52 will be adjusted to become a Daytime route, meaning buses will run from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. seven days a week.
• Route 52 will provide service from Kinnickinnic & Clement on the north end to Chicago & Puetz on the south end. Weekday service will run as often as it does today. Weekend service will run more frequently than it does today.
  • Route 52’s routing on the north end will end at Kinnickinnic & Clement instead of 1^st & Mitchell. Service on Kinnickinnic and S. 1^st is already well served by Route 15 and the GreenLine. Route 52 buses will be scheduled to connect with Route 15 at Kinnickinnic & Clement – meaning Route 52 passengers will be able to transfer to Route 15.
  • Route 52’s routing on the south end will undergo multiple adjustments:
    • There will no longer be any service on 17^thAvenue, Milwaukee Avenue, and Rawson Avenue west of 15^th due to low ridership.
      • The nearest available Route 52 stops for residents in this neighborhood will be southbound 15th and Rawson or northbound Chicago and Marquette. Additionally, residents can utilize Route 15, which also stops at northbound 15th and Marshall or eastbound Marquette and Chicago.
    • Route 52 service will be added on Madison Avenue (between 10^th and 5^th) and 5th Avenue (between Madison and Puetz) to replace Route 15 service.
    • Route 52 service will also be added on Chicago Avenue north of Puetz Road.
• Click here to see a map that compares this route’s new routing to its previous routing.
• The digital destination signs on the outside of southbound buses will read “52 TO 5^TH/PUETZ  / 52 CLEMENT-PENN." Signs for northbound buses will read “52 TO KINNICKINNIC / 52 CLEMENT-PENN.”
• Some bus stops along this route are being removed. Click here to see the full list.
  • The majority of riders have told us they want faster service – and they’re willing to walk a little extra to get it. That’s why our team is working hard to make sure bus stops are spaced appropriately – or ‘balanced.’ Bus Stop Balancing means shortening your travel time by judiciously removing some stops that are too close to each other, are not used often, or do not meet standards for being accessible to persons with disabilities.

• Check out this video where a member of the MCTS Planning team explains Route 52’s changes.
  

View Route 52

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Route 63 – Silver Spring Drive: Simplifying Service and Improving Reliability

• Route 63 service on Port Washington Road will be replaced by new Route 68 (see Route 68 details). Route 63 will continue to serve the Bayshore shopping center.
• West end routing will remain the same.
• Weekday service will run as often as it does today. Weekend service will run more frequently
• Click here to see a map that compares this route’s new routing to its previous routing.
• Destination signs for eastbound buses will read “63 TO BAYSHORE / 63 SILVER SPRING.”
• Some bus stops along this route are being removed. Click here to see the full list.
  • The majority of riders have told us they want faster service – and they’re willing to walk a little extra to get it. That’s why our team is working hard to make sure bus stops are spaced appropriately – or ‘balanced.’ Bus Stop Balancing means shortening your travel time by judiciously removing some stops that are too close to each other, are not used often, or do not meet standards for being accessible to persons with disabilities.

• Check out this video where a member of the MCTS Planning team explains Route 63’s changes.
  

View Route 63

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NEW! Route 68: Simplifying Service and Improving Reliability

• Route 68 is a new Daytime route that replaces Route 63 service on Port Washington Road north of Bayshore and Route 15 service on Port Washington Road between Capitol Drive and Bayshore. Buses will be scheduled to connect with Route 15 at Capitol & Richards.
• As a Daytime route, buses will run from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. seven days a week.
• Destination signs for northbound buses will read “68 TO BROWN DEER / 68 PORT WASH RD”. Signs for southbound buses will read “68 TO CAPITOL / 68 PORT WASH RD”.
• Click here to see a full list of stops served by Route 68.

• Check out this video where a member of the MCTS Planning team explains Route 68.
  

View Route 68

 

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Resource for Riders with Visual Impairments:

Detailed route-by-route text narrative (for text-to-speech systems)