Milwaukee County Transit System to shorten five bus routes and adjust schedules starting March 8
Spring changes tied to 2026 service plan and construction impacts
Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) will implement spring service changes beginning Sunday, March 8, 2026, altering route coverage, frequencies and timetables across multiple lines. The changes represent Phase II of MCTS’ 2026 Service Plan, following a winter phase that kept existing routes intact while other adjustments were prepared for spring implementation.
MCTS has said the 2026 plan is designed to maintain as much transit and paratransit service as possible while addressing a budget gap. The spring package combines route segment reductions on five lines, ongoing long-term construction detours on several routes, and schedule adjustments intended to improve reliability during I-94 roadway work.
Five routes will be shortened, with frequency reductions on several days
Beginning March 8, MCTS will shorten routes 11, 22, 24, 80 and 88 in areas where ridership has historically been lower, while also revising headways (the time between buses) on many of those routes.
Route 11 will turn back at 92nd Street instead of continuing to 124th Street, with less frequent service on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Route 22 will turn back at Humboldt Boulevard rather than serving the UW–Milwaukee endpoint, with modest weekday frequency reductions and schedule changes.
Route 24 will no longer extend certain trips into downtown Greendale; all trips will turn back at 74th Street and Edgerton near Southridge, with updated schedules.
Route 80 will turn back at the Glendale Industrial Park near Green Bay Avenue and Florist Avenue instead of continuing to the Good Hope Road/Teutonia Avenue area, with reduced weekday frequency during the day.
Route 88 will turn back at 107th Street instead of 124th Street, with service becoming less frequent on weekdays and weekends.
One route adds an early-morning trip
In addition to reductions, MCTS is adding an early-morning trip on Route 33 between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. to improve access for riders who need to arrive at work by 6 a.m.
Detours and I-94 reliability changes continue into spring and beyond
MCTS expects several routes to operate on long-term detours due to construction, with trip times shifted to account for added travel time. Planned or continuing detours include Route 18 (anticipated mid-April eastbound-only detour off National Avenue), Route 24 (detour related to the 16th Street Bridge, expected to last until fall 2026), Route 44U (detour tied to an I-94 on-ramp closure while maintaining State Fair Park-and-ride service), and Route 60 (detour lasting until late 2028 as part of the I-94 project).
Detours at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport will continue for Route 80 and the GreenLine, while the PurpleLine will remain detoured off 27th Street between Clybourn Street and National Avenue until late 2027. MCTS has also adjusted spring schedules on CONNECT 1 and Route 30 to help maintain reliability during increased traffic associated with I-94 roadway improvements.
Beginning March 15, 2026, the Transit Plus Same Day Pilot will start at 8:00 a.m. instead of 7:00 a.m., while continuing to accept same-day trip requests through 5:59 p.m. daily.
MCTS has indicated the Transit Plus change is intended to keep the program within the 2026 budget.