The Hop ridership exceeds projections

Ridership of The Hop, the new $124 million Milwaukee streetcar, has exceeded projections, according to figures provided by the administration of Mayor Tom Barrett.

Average daily ridership for the first two weeks of operation was 2,191. That compares with an initial projection that the streetcar would have an average daily ridership of 1,850, according to figures provided by City Engineer Jeff Polenske.

The highest ridership day was Saturday, when The Hop transported 3,806 passengers, according to the data released by the mayor’s office.

“We’ve been pleased,” Polenske said. “It’s off to a good start.”

Streetcar ridership builds during the week and has been busiest on the two Saturdays of regular operation, he said.

“We’re really pleased with these preliminary numbers along with the feedback we’re receiving from riders,” Barrett said. “We are continuously working on adding to the customer service and introducing even more new riders to The Hop.”

Barrett has said he would wait until spring to decide whether the city has embraced the new service.

The grand opening weekend was Nov. 2-4, when The Hop had more than 16,000 riders.

Rides are free for the first year under a 12-year, $10 million sponsorship by Potawatomi Hotel & Casino.

The Hop runs on a 2.1mile loop through downtown and the Historic Third Ward between the Milwaukee Intermodal Station, 433 W. St. Paul Ave., and Burns Commons, at East Ogden and North Prospect avenues.

A second leg with service to the lakefront is expected to open in 2020.

Supporters consider the streetcar an important next step for a modern urban center undergoing a renaissance. Opponents call it a boondoggle that will never catch on with the public.

The Hop operates seven days a week on the following schedule: Monday through Friday: 5 a.m. to 12 a.m.; Saturday: 7 a.m. to 12 a.m.; and Sunday: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.