City Engaging Businesses Along The Hop Route
Mayor Tom Barrett personally delivers first of nearly 300 kits to businesses.

Mayor Tom Barrett delivers a streetcar kit to The London Cleaners. Photo from the City of Milwaukee.
In advance of The Hop’s grand opening weekend, the city is ramping up its efforts to engage businesses along the route. The streetcar system’s first phase, the M-Line, will open with a celebration held from November 2nd through the 4th.
The city is distributing approximately 275 kits to businesses located at ground level on or near the route.
The kits contain “Hop Here” posters so businesses can let the public know they’re easily accessible via the starter line, information on how to participate in the opening weekend by offering specials or hosting events and information on safety, how to ride, the route map and operating hours.
Mayor Tom Barrett delivered the first two kits on Friday afternoon to Ouzo Cafe and London Cleaners along N. Milwaukee St.
“We are distributing these kits to businesses along The Hop route and asking that they ‘Hop Along’ as long-term partners of this project” said Barrett. “We know how important businesses will be in informing riders and in the future success of The Hop.”
November 3rd’s activities are intended to center around thanking and promoting businesses that have had to deal with the system’s construction.
Rides on the system will be free through at least next November 2019 courtesy of a $10-million, 12-year sponsorship agreement with Potawatomi Hotel and Casino. No tickets will be required to ride; riders can simply get on the vehicles at any of the stations.
Following the launch party, the system will begin operating on its normal schedule. Service will be provided Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. until midnight, Saturday from 7 a.m. until midnight and Sunday from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m.
The 2.1-miles-long first phase connects Westown and the Milwaukee Intermodal Station with the Historic Third Ward, East Town and the Lower East Side. The lakefront line expansion, the system’s second phase, is scheduled to begin service in 2020. The two systems have a combined capital cost of $128.1 million funded by federal grants and tax-incremental financing districts.
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More about the Milwaukee Streetcar
For more project details, including the project timeline, financing, route and possible extensions, see our extensive past coverage.
- Plats and Parcels: Lakefront Streetcar Extension Scheduled for June 2022 Opening - Jeramey Jannene - Dec 6th, 2020
- Transportation: Should Milwaukee Stop The Hop? - Jeramey Jannene - Oct 13th, 2020
- Transportation: The Hop Now Wears a Mask - Jeramey Jannene - Aug 18th, 2020
- Eyes on Milwaukee: Is A Couture Deal Finally Coming? - Jeramey Jannene - May 13th, 2020
- Transportation: SUV Driver Runs Into The Hop - Jeramey Jannene - Feb 28th, 2020
- Transportation: Streetcar Kiosks Could Bring In $500,000 Annually - Jeramey Jannene - Feb 20th, 2020
- Thanks A Million, Hop Riders! - The Hop - Feb 19th, 2020
- Transportation: We Energies Will Sponsor Streetcar - Jeramey Jannene - Feb 10th, 2020
- Transportation: Streetcar Ridership Up in January Versus 2019 - Jeramey Jannene - Feb 7th, 2020
- Transportation: Streetcar Ridership Up in December - Jeramey Jannene - Jan 14th, 2020
Read more about Milwaukee Streetcar here