MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – The Hop streetcar’s new 2-mile route extension will begin full-time operation on April 11.

The L-Line, The Hop’s first extension, incorporates five overlapping stops with the original route, and 3 new stops, and allows riders to reach many lakefront destinations through the Couture transit concourse. Like the original route, which first opened in 2018, the L-Line is free to ride.

“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,” said Milwaukee Commissioner of Public Works Jerrel Kruschke. “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.”

The new route was largely funded through a Federal TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grant awarded to the City of Milwaukee in 2015.

The new route began operating on a limited basis on Oct. 9. On April 11, it will run seven days a week, from 5 a.m. to 12 a.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday like the original route. It will provide service every 20 minutes.

More information about The Hop and the new route can be found here.