Bus Route Changes Coming March 5

Three service changes are coming to the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) on March 5.

The 2023 budget for the transit system saw an approximately $4 million cut. The result, announced last year, is that four bus routes will run less frequently and 11 other routes and special services have been eliminated.

The transit system announced three new route changes that will take effect March 5 along routes 15, 52 and 60. MCTS has been planning changes for Route 52 since last year.

The budget cuts in 2023 are intended to “chip away” at an estimated $20 million budget shortfall coming in 2025, according to MCTS. That’s the year that federal stimulus funds will run out. An earlier projection estimated the 2025 budget gap at $32 million.

Changes coming to MCTS service this year and interactive maps can be found here.

Route 52

The large loop at the southern end of Route 52 will be eliminated and the service will instead travel east along E. 15th Ave. and lay over at Kelly Senior Center, 6100 S. Lake Dr.

The following sections of Route 52 will be cut:

• S. 15th Avenue between E. College Avenue and E. Rawson Avenue
• E. Rawson Avenue between S. 15th Avenue and S. Chicago Road
• 5th Avenue between E. Columbia Ave and Puetz Road
• E. Puetz Road between S. 5th Avenue and S. Chicago Road
• S. Chicago Ave between E. Columbia Ave and E. Puetz Road

The bus frequency is also being slowed down along the entire route with a bus coming every 50 minutes.

Route 15

Route 15 is being redrawn to replace some of the service eliminated along Route 52 near both routes southern ends.

The route will no longer travel west of S. Chicago Road. Instead, it will make a one-way, clockwise loop traveling along E. Madison Avenue, then S. 5^th Avenue, then S. Columbia Ave. back to Chicago Road with a layover at the intersection of Chicago and E. Drexel Ave.

Route 60

Service along Route 60 is being slowed down to one bus every 20 minutes. Buses will run the entire length of the route, no longer making short trips to and from the intersection of S. 60th Street and W. National Avenue.

UPDATE: An earlier version of the article included the service frequency alongside the wrong route. Route 52 will see a bus every 50 minutes.