PROJECTS
The big projects
The 12 citywide projects changing how Milwaukee gets around, sorted by mode. Each one has a full story, a map, and every public vote on it.
- Commuter Rail to Racine and Kenosha
- I-794 Rebuild
- EV Chargers
- Amtrak Expansion
- Bike Lanes
- I-94 Rebuild
- Street Repaving and Rebuilds
- Vision Zero (Traffic Safety)
- Bike Share (Bublr)
- Bus Rapid Transit Lines
- Milwaukee's Bus System (MCTS)
- Streetcar (The Hop)
- 2PlannedCommuter Rail to Racine and Kenosha, I-794 Rebuild
- 1FundedEV Chargers
- 5Being builtAmtrak Expansion, Bike Lanes, I-94 Rebuild, Street Repaving and Rebuilds, Vision Zero (Traffic Safety)
- 4OpenBike Share (Bublr), Bus Rapid Transit Lines, Milwaukee's Bus System (MCTS), Streetcar (The Hop)
None at the Idea stage right now. Stages: Idea, Planned, Funded, Being built, Open.
Walk
1- Being built2022 to 2037
Vision Zero (Traffic Safety)
City street safety plan
Action plan approved June 2025. Goal: zero traffic deaths by the end of 2037.
Bike
2
Photo: 1998alexkane, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons Being builtMayor's goal set June 2023Bike Lanes
City bike network
13.8 of 45.8 miles of protected bike lanes on the city's map are open
About 14 miles open, about 32 more being designed or built
- Open · ExpandingOpened 2014. Expansion 2025 to 2027.
Bike Share (Bublr)
City bike share
171 stations open in Bublr's live station list. Expansion with federal grants is underway, aiming for 226 stations by the end of 2027.
Cost: Bublr 2.0: about $6.3 million from two federal grants plus a city match. The second grant's buying and building phase is estimated at $2,074,695.
Bus
2
Photo: Han Zheng, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons OpenCounty-owned since 1975Milwaukee's Bus System (MCTS)
County bus system
Running: 49 routes and about 25 million rides in 2025. The MCTS Forward redesign has a draft plan expected in spring 2027.
Cost: 2025 revenue: about $186 million (38% state, 27% local, 20% federal, 13% fares, 3% other)
- OpenCONNECT 1 opened 2023.
Bus Rapid Transit Lines
County rapid bus lines
CONNECT 1 is running. CONNECT 2 on 27th Street is paused, and smaller PurpleLine upgrades are coming instead.
Cost: CONNECT 1: about $55 million, including a $40.9 million federal grant. PurpleLine upgrades: a $21 million federal grant.
Rail
3
Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons OpenOpened 2018. Lakefront line opened 2023.Streetcar (The Hop)
City streetcar
Running on two routes. Extensions are drawn up but not funded.
Cost: About $128 million to build, about $6.5 million a year to run (2026 budget).
Photo: Augiejv, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Being built2017 to about 2030Amtrak Expansion
State and federal passenger trains
7 of 10 daily round trips to Chicago, toward WisDOT's goal
Seven round trips a day to Chicago. Plans for 10, plus trains to Madison.
Cost: Muskego Yard bypass: $72.8 million federal grant. Airport station platform: about $23.5 million. Madison extension: $218 million federal grant, with the state paying 20 percent of the cost.
Photo: B Garrett, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons PlannedCommission created 2025Commuter Rail to Racine and Kenosha
Regional passenger train plan
Early planning. No cost estimate or start date yet.
Car, moto
4- Being builtEvery year, spring to fall. Big rebuilds: 2025 to 2028.
Street Repaving and Rebuilds
City streets
Repaving happens every year. Big rebuilds: West Lisbon Avenue finishes in fall 2026, and West National Avenue runs through 2028. The 2027 budget proposes a record $19.2 million for local streets.
Cost: About $60 million a year on all city streets, 2022 to 2025 (DPW). Fixing every poor street would cost about $821 million.
Photo: 1998alexkane, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons Being builtLate 2025 to 2033I-94 Rebuild
State freeway project
Under construction, late 2025 to 2033
Cost: About $1.85 billion (a WisDOT report to the Transportation Projects Commission, as reported August 13, 2026). WisDOT's project pages give no total.
Photo: Jeramey Jannene, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons PlannedI-794 Rebuild
State freeway study
WisDOT's draft report was due this fall and is not out yet. No construction money.
Cost: $425 million to $1.25 billion, depending on the option, counting inflation (WisDOT estimates, spring 2026). Not funded.
Photo: Cf68916, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Funded2024 to 2030EV Chargers
City, state, and private chargers
City sites approved and under federal review. No city-grant chargers open yet.
Cost: City network: $18.7 million ($15 million federal grant, $3.7 million from a private partner). State highway chargers: about $62 million in grants statewide so far.
Stages and status lines come from each project's file, checked on the date shown on its full story. Photos are credited on each card.