After years of construction and a decade of bickering, the Milwaukee streetcar The Hop is now accepting passengers.
The Hop’s opening kicked off with a celebration at Cathedral Square Park.
The first year is free to ride. The route extends from the East Side near Ogden and Farwell through downtown to the Third Ward with 18 stops along the way. It takes about 20 minutes to complete a round trip.
Mayor Tom Barrett says the city is already looking at expansion plans for the streetcar. The tracks could extend to the lakefront by 2020 and design work is underway for an extension to Bronzeville.
The Hop runs 5 a.m. until Midnight Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. until midnight on Saturday. On Sunday The Hop runs from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m.
