MILWAUKEE — The Hop streetcar, which runs through downtown Milwaukee, will soon be expanding.

It will be the first time new stops and routes will be added since the streetcar debuted five years ago.

The new route, known as the L-Line, will run through the city’s Third Ward and the southern part of downtown, looping through the new Couture building near the lakefront. 

Wednesday, the City of Milwaukee showed off the new route through a ride-along sneak peek.

Beginning Oct. 29, the L-Line will begin operating only on Sundays. Since the streetcar passes through the Couture building, Sundays are the only day that construction doesn’t take place. Once construction nears completion, the L-Line will be able to operate seven days a week. The one-day-per-week service is designed to allow people to get familiar with the route.

(Spectrum News 1)

Milwaukee Public Works Commissioner Jerrel Kruschke said it will be good for operators learning the route and the general public. 

“It is also to get people familiar with seeing the streetcar on Michigan and Clybourn,” Kruschke said. “The tracks have been there a while, so now actually getting to physically see a vehicle there it is getting used to how this all works.”

Kruschke said he hopes expanded Hop service will lessen traffic downtown. 

“When the L-line fully opens up, when you want to access the festival grounds or access the Public Museum, you aren’t going to have to pick up your car and add more traffic to our streets,” said Kruschke. 

Full service of the L-Line is expected to begin in spring 2024.