MCTS summer route, schedule changes start Sunday; what to know

MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee County Transit System's summer service schedule and route changes took effect Sunday, June 7. Here's what riders need to know.  

Budget considerations

The backstory:

Milwaukee County officials said MCTS is projected to have a nearly $500,000 budget surplus at year's end. 

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According to the transit system, the surplus is the result of a variety of strategies – like route adjustments and a county budget amendment. Fare increases took effect on Jan. 1. 

MCTS also cited a decline in fare evasion, from roughly 33% in January to 24% as of June 4. A FOX6 investigation last year found 33% of MCTS passengers did not pay their fares in the first five months of 2025. That's an estimated eight million free rides and $10 million in uncollected fares per year.

Staff with Milwaukee County's Department of Transportation said, if not for the changes, MCTS would instead have been looking at a $14 million budget shortfall this year. Any extra funds earned this year would go toward addressing a projected budget gap of $15.7 million for 2027.

MCTS is one of just a handful of public transit agencies that does not have a dedicated funding source, according to the county.

Summer service changes

By the numbers:

Summer service changes will restore midday service to four routes using contingency funds from the county's 2026 budget, the transit system said. The seasonal updates will also adjust 15 routes to improve reliability based on rider and driver feedback.

Midday service

Route 28: Midday service returns to Route 28 with buses operating between approximately 5 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays. Buses will come every 30 minutes during a.m. and p.m. peak times and every 40 minutes midday. No change to weekend schedules.

Route 33: Midday service returns to Route 33 with buses operating between 5:45 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays. Buses will come every 30 minutes during a.m. and p.m. peak times and every 45 minutes midday. No change to weekend schedules.

Route 34: Midday service returns to Route 34 with buses operating between 5 a.m. and 6:15 p.m. on weekdays. Buses will come every 32-35 minutes during a.m. and p.m. peak times and every 32 minutes midday. No change to weekend schedules.

Route 55: Midday service returns to Route 55 with buses operating between 5:30 a.m. and 6:15 p.m. on weekdays. Buses will come every 30 minutes throughout the day. No change to weekend schedules.

Updated Schedules 

MCTS adjusted schedules for the routes listed below to improve the timeliness of buses for customers and bus operators. For specific details on the updated schedule for each route, visit the MCTS website.

• Routes 19, 20, 21, 24, 31, 33, 35, 53, 54, 59, 60, 66, 68, 92, and the RedLine.

Adjusted routes

BlueLine: Southbound BlueLine buses will use a new route between 64th and Silver Spring and 60th and Villard. Southbound buses will travel south on 64th Street to Custer Avenue, east on Custer Avenue to 60th Street, and south on 60th Street to the regular route. This means the BlueLine stop at 64th and Villard will no longer be served in the Southbound direction, and the BlueLine stop at 60th and Villard is moving across the street to the northwest corner of the intersection. There is no change for northbound BlueLine buses.

Route 66: Route 66 will now serve UWM and the Upper East Side on weekdays in the summer, maintaining access across the Locust Street bridge throughout the year.

Routes with detours 

The following routes will be on long-term detours starting or continuing through the summer. 

• Route 18: Is detouring eastbound only off National Avenue using Greenfield Avenue from Miller Parkway to Layton Boulevard. All trip times have been shifted to accommodate the added detour time.
• Route 24: Will continue to detour off the 16th Street Bridge over the Menomonee River Valley. The detour will be in both directions and last until Fall 2026. All trip times have been shifted to accommodate the added detour time.
• Route 80: Will continue to detour at Mitchell International Airport, bypassing the cell phone lot and stopping at the north end of departures, near American and United ticketing.
• GreenLine: Will continue to detour at Mitchell International Airport, bypassing the cell phone lot and stopping/laying over at the south end of the baggage claim area.

I-94 East-West Project

Dig deeper:

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation and MCTS are also working together as the I-94 East-West project disrupts travel in Milwaukee County. 

The project has lead to road and bridge closures, detours and traffic congestion for several bus routes in its vicinity. With the project expected to take eight years to complete, MCTS will add another weekday bus to the routes most heavily impacted.

MCTS provided the following list of planned summer detours as construction work continues:

• CONNECT 1: May experience congestion along Wisconsin Avenue and Bluemound Road during WisDOT East-West I-94 construction. Time has been added to the schedule to accommodate.
• Route 30: May experience congestion along Wisconsin Avenue during WisDOT East-West I-94 construction. Time has been added to the schedule to accommodate.
• Route 44U: Will continue to detour due to the closure of the eastbound 68th Street on ramp to I-94. MCTS service to the State Fair park and ride lot is maintained throughout. Trip times have been shifted to accommodate the added detour time.
• Route 60: Will continue to detour off 60th Street between Main Street and Bluemound Road, as part of the I-94 construction project. The detour will be in both directions and last until late 2028. All trip times will be shifted to accommodate the added detour time.
• PurpleLine: Will continue to detour off 27th Street between Clybourn Street and National Avenue, as part of the I-94 construction project. The detour will be in both directions and last until late 2027. All trip times will be shifted to accommodate the added detour time.