‘We Sit In Limbo’: Milwaukee Streetcar Is Getting An Upgrade But No Track Extension

Milwaukee’s Streetcar, known as the Hop, is getting an upgrade to its route, but it won’t include the anticipated half-mile extension.

On Thursday, Hop officials revealed they will be installing 35 digital kiosks along and near the streetcar line. Through a partnership with Smart City Media, LLC, the kiosks will be designed to support Hop operations by providing real-time arrival information, directions to restaurants and stores and provide free Wi-Fi service.

The smart kiosk infrastructure program is expected to generate $500,000 in ad money annually that will help pay for the public transit system.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said that the program will be an asset to the community.

“Our vision for the streetcar has always been for it to bridge gaps between centers of activity in the city, making the people and places that make our city great more accessible and connected,” Barrett said in a statement.

The kiosks will have dual-sided touch screens that are interactive and will be ADA accessible. When the kiosks aren’t in use, they will display streetcar arrival times and advertise content from local businesses.

The city of Milwaukee won’t have to pay for the smart kiosk program. Smart City Media, an industry-leader in digital media solutions, will own and maintain the kiosks throughout a 10-year agreement. They will provide Milwaukee a share of the funds generated through the program.

Milwaukee Alder Robert Bauman said that he would like to see the kiosks around different neighborhoods surrounding downtown.

“They’ve got potential,” he said. “They could actually be a significant source of revenue, I think they can be very effective in neighborhoods with high levels of pedestrian traffic.”

City officials want the kiosks completed in time for the Democratic National Convention in July.

Meanwhile, the city is still held up expanding the streetcar route.

Back in May, Mayor Barrett announced that he wanted to add 2.4 miles to the 2.1-mile streetcar route before the DNC this summer. The extension would’ve included about a half-mile line to Wisconsin Avenue where convention facilities are located.

The proposal for the expansion has been held up in committee and hasn’t made it to the city’s common council for a vote.

Bauman said they are waiting on the Mayor.

“He is determined to wait out the Couture financing process and has not directed or allowed the Department of Public Works to begin looking at a plan B to find a station location,” Bauman said. “So here we sit in limbo.”

The Hop’s Lakefront line is still being held up by the multimillion-dollar Couture development project. The project was announced in 2012, but hasn’t broken ground. The line could be delayed for another year.

Bauman said he’s waiting for a deadline and proof of funding from the mayor to lay the two to three blocks of track.

According to the Hop’s website, officials have been working with designers and contractors to get the extension process started. The website also says funding for the extension is still being evaluated.

The Hop is expected to hit 1 million riders on Friday. The streetcar welcomed 802,541 riders during the first year of service. Heading into February, that total stood at 967,257.