Proposed Route for North-South BRT Line Unveiled

Early conceptual rendering of East-West BRT line.

The planning team behind a new bus rapid transit line is soliciting public comment on the proposed route.

The new North-South Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line would run along 27th Street for much of Milwaukee County. Starting from the north, the line would run from Bayshore Town Center mall in Glendale, west to N. Teutonia Ave. via Silver Spring Drive, south to N. 27th St. and continuing to W. Drexel Ave. and the Northwestern Mutual Franklin campus before making a loop to the nearby Ikea store.

Using a mix of strategies, including fewer steps, dedicated lanes and all-door boarding, BRT lines are intended to provide higher-quality, faster bus service similar to rail lines.

The 18-mile draft route would be made up of approximately 80% protected lanes and reduce end-to-end travel times by 15 minutes compared to the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) PurpleLine that follows a similar route today.

North-South BRT draft route. Image from SEWRPC.

According to Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission‘s analysis, the selected route would increase ridership by 50% to 60%. The new line would serve 51,000 jobs and 116,000 residents. SEWRPC analysis found that 27% of residents along the recommended route live in poverty.

The $148 million plan involves stations with level boarding, off-bus ticket, roadway work to create dedicated lanes and the purchasing of new battery-electric buses and related charging equipment. The plan recommends the use of concrete curbs or other physical barriers to prevent motorists from swerving into the bus lane. The federal government is expected to cover 80% of the capital costs.

Individuals can leave comments about the proposed route, or ask questions, at MKENorthSouth.com through Oct. 2.

MCTS would operate the new line, which would cross the East-West BRT line at N. 27th St. and W. Wisconsin Ave., and reroute its existing service to avoid duplicating the new route. The approximately nine-mile East-West BRT line is expected to begin operation in 2023 between Downtown and the Milwaukee County Regional Medical Center. The Wisconsin Avenue and 27th Street corridors are two of the busiest in the region.

A route map from SEWRPC indicates that the route would not have dedicated lanes on 27th Street between W. St. Paul Ave. and W. Highland Ave. The stretch between W. St. Paul Ave. and W. Wisconsin Ave. has two travel lanes in each direction, while the stretch to the north has been narrowed in recent years with concrete planters and other treatments. The city has long grappled with reckless driving and other issues in that area.

The route would also not have dedicated lanes at its southern loop, near its northern terminus at Bayshore and along N. Teutonia Ave. The segment along W. Silver Spring Dr. is proposed for dedicated lanes.

Based on an earlier project map, a mix of parking and travel lanes would be repurposed to create the dedicated bus lane. Bicycle accommodations are planned for much of the route.

The north-south project has goals of reducing inequities in transportation, improving the quality of service for those who depend on transit, reducing reckless driving in the corridor and attracting new riders.

Eliminated from consideration as part of the planning process was an alternative northern terminus in Brown Deer, a southern leg to Ascension SE Wisconsin hospital in Franklin or an eastern leg to Drexel Town Square in Oak Creek.

The new line is expected to open for service in 2027 or 2028 after additional planning and construction. Planning for the project has been underway since 2021.

The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors will ultimately need to vote to approve the North-South BRT plan, as well as related votes in each impacted municipality to approve the dedicated lanes and other project components.

Video