NEWS
What to Look Forward to in Milwaukee’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure BY DANIEL GROSS
W
hen 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. 6 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS
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.
Photo by Michael Burmesch.
