Winter Brings End To Construction Detours for MCTS

Essential trips only on MCTS buses. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) isn’t planning any major route changes for the upcoming winter.

The system is anticipating that a handful of major construction-related detours will end as construction projects close out for the winter. It is also making a handful of minor adjustments to bus schedules in the hopes of improving reliability and efficiency. That includes Route 81, which runs to the Amazon Fulfillment Center in Oak Creek.

The transit system updates routes four times a year, timed to coincide with bus operators picking their schedules for the next quarter. The changes will go into effect Dec. 1.

Schedules for the following bus routes will be adjusted to improve efficiency: Routes 12, 19, 34, 52, 54, 81, 92

Construction Detours Ending

Route 15: For several months the closure of the Holton Street Bridge sent Route 15 buses on a detour to N. Humboldt Avenue between W. North Avenue and E. Ogden Avenue. When construction ends for the winter, Route 15 buses will return to N. Holton Street and N. Van Buren Street, according to MCTS.

Route 35: At various times during the past month, Route 35 buses traveled along 27th Street between W. Wisconsin Avenue and W. National Avenue. The detour will end with the new winter schedule.

Route 66: Buses will stay on Burleigh between N. 6th and N. 7th Streets and will no longer run up to W. Locust Street.

RedLine: The RedLine has returned to N. Downer Avenue between E. Capitol Drive and E. Edgewood Avenue now that the street is no longer blocked to through traffic for road construction.

Route 21: Buses will no longer detour along E. Locust St. between N. Humboldt and N. Downer Avenues. Major road construction along this section of North Avenue is expected to finish by the end of November.