Changes Coming To 11 Milwaukee Bus Routes Sunday

MILWAUKEE, WI — The Milwaukee County Transit System announced its newest phase of improvements and adjustments to its bus lines Wednesday.

The second phase of MCTS NEXT will affect Routes 11, 12, 14, 21, 34, 53, 57, 80, 88 and Purple Line, the agency said. These routes will be adjusted this weekend and redesign will take effect Sunday.

Here are some of the adjustments MCTS will make this weekend:

• More high frequency service. The agency will increase how often buses travel Routes 11, 12, 34, 58, 80, 88 and Purple Line.
• Better connections to jobs and grocery stores. The new Route 88 will provide service to and from Woodman's, Sam's Club and Aldi at 124th & Bradley Road in Menomonee Falls. Four new routes - Routes 11, 34, 58 and 88 - will provide additional routing options for passengers.
• Improved service on the weekends. MCTS will improve Routes 11, 12, 34, 58, 80 and 88, the agency said. Route 12 buses north of Hampton Avenue will arrive 20-25 minutes on Saturdays and Sundays and Route 58 buses will run approximately every 30 minutes on the weekends.
• Simpler routing. Routes 12 and 80 will be adjusted to provide more frequent service along a single corridor instead of being “branched” onto multiple streets with low frequency service like they are today, the agency said.
• Faster service by properly balancing bus stops. The agency will balance bus stops along Routes 12, 14, 21, 53, 57 and 80. Bus stop balancing means removing bus stops that are too close together, not used often or are inaccessible to persons with disabilities, the agency said.

The first phase of MCTS NEXT started in March 2021. The changes the agency made brought 13 percent more high frequency service and 5 percent more trips across the board, the agency said.

"Milwaukee County has evolved over the years, especially when it comes to the locations of job centers, shopping destinations, schools, and residential areas," the agency said. "MCTS NEXT is an exciting effort to update the route network, improve the rider experience, and meet the community’s modern needs."