Destinations, Not Dead Ends: Replacing I-794 Could Turn Transit Into a Real Gateway to Opportunity

Part 2

In our previous transit blog post, we discussed why increasing transit use is necessary and the big-picture transit opportunity presented by replacing I-794 with a boulevard. But what does that look like for individual systems?

A Green Line bus under I-794 on Water Street in Milwaukee

Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS)

Currently, the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) has 15 routes that are accessible by a short walk from the I-794 corridor. Many of these are among the highest ridership routes in the system, and are accompanied by frequent service to accommodate that demand.

15 MCTS routes run within a short walk of the I-794 corridor

As we look to shift towards a more transit-centered city, our bus system will be the workhorse.

Last year, not only did MCTS provide over 25 million rides, but it did it while operating with an incredibly efficient service compared to other Midwest transit systems.  If MCTS could grow its operation while maintaining this efficiency, the myriad of benefits associated with increased transit use would be felt across the county.

The current route structure connects large swaths of the Milwaukee area to downtown. If I-794 is replaced with a boulevard (freeing up land and encouraging downtown development), this access plays a pivotal role in distributing downtown resources across the city.

Living-wage jobs in the construction trades generated by new downtown development are then concentrated in an area where car ownership isn’t a necessity, expanding the number of people who can access that employment opportunity.

People who work in areas across the city – but who want to live downtown – can now access their jobs via transit, removing barriers associated with car dependency and reducing traffic congestion across the city. Milwaukee’s residents deserve the best, and this is one step to putting forward the best possible transit system.

A heatmap showing MCTS average daily boardings. Downtown Milwaukee is the heart of the system—let’s capitalize on it.

Note: MCTS is currently in the process of a system redesign. While service is being reduced due to lack of funding, downtown will likely remain the hub of the system due to the high ridership levels. Check back for Part 3 of this series for a look at how Rethink 794 advocates to better fund public transit.

The Hop

Love it or hate it, it’s crystal clear: rethinking I-794 would lead to a better future for The Hop.

Already kneecapped by state legislators effectively preventing any expansions since 2023, The Hop suffers further from the presence of an elevated freeway separating the Third Ward and Downtown. Four stops (Intermodal Station, St. Paul/Plankinton, Historic Third Ward, and Clybourn/Jefferson) are all directly adjacent to 794, wasting the valuable land around those stations with a space that serves only cars.

Next stop: I-794 in Milwaukee! Jokes aside, it’s a little strange to have a streetcar with four stops that put you directly under or next to a freeway overpass.

By replacing the freeway with space for housing and businesses, it greatly increases the number of people who have access to this convenient, accessible transportation option, leveraging already existing infrastructure.  Rethinking 794 could help turn these transit stops into destinations, not dead ends.

Transit-accessible land is ideal for housing and businesses. Is I-794 the best use of this space?

The benefits of increased access to The Hop don’t end Downtown. With November elections fast-approaching and new governance taking office, there’s hope that the system will be able to continue with expansion plans. The Deer District, Bronzeville, Walker’s Point, and Brady Street have all been identified for future connections to the current system, with some engineering work already complete.

As Downtown grows and thrives, residents will have convenient access to these neighborhoods to visit local businesses and bring economic activity throughout the city. Further expansions (possibly driven by downtown development via the Community Wealth Fund ) could bring service and benefits to even more of the city.

Possible Expansions of The Hop (Solid: Existing, Dashed: Planned, Dotted: Possible)

Regional and Commuter Rail

Passenger Rail is making a comeback across the United States.

In Wisconsin, Amtrak’s Borealis (connecting Chicago, Milwaukee, and the Twin Cities) exceeded ridership estimates by over 50% in its first year of operation, Governor Evers announced plans to extend the current Hiawatha line (Chicago to Milwaukee) to Madison as soon as 2029, and WisDOT is studying additional service to Green Bay.

At the same time, the MARK Rail Commission is working to create a new service connecting the downtowns of Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha, with the South Shore suburbs along the way. By the time that construction of I-794 wraps up in the mid-to-late 2030s (regardless of the alternative chosen), the options available for commuters and tourists in the region are on track (train pun intended) to grow significantly.

A possible future of Milwaukee-area rail service: Amtrak (red) to Madison, Green Bay, Chicago, and Twin Cities; MARK Rail (yellow) to the South Shore, Racine, and Kenosha; and future commuter rail (green, as identified in Vision 2050) to Waukesha and Ozaukee counties.

As rail service to Milwaukee is slated for such growth, is a billion-dollar investment in car infrastructure a wise move? Convenient connections to nearby cities are likely to bring new residents seeking to enjoy Milwaukee’s city amenities while they maintain employment elsewhere. This could spur increased demand for housing in proximity to the Intermodal Station.

Businesses could also seek to locate centrally in Milwaukee, being able to draw talent from across the region. All of this downtown growth would feed into a larger tax base for Milwaukee, allowing the city to improve services in neighborhoods throughout the city limits.

Stay tuned for Part 3!

Next time, we’ll take a look at how Rethinking 794 could be key to the future of two components of this reimagined transportation system:

1. Proposed Regional Transit Authority (which is an agency that works to provide quality transit across an entire region)

2. Milwaukee’s Intermodal Station