The Republican National Convention has finally arrived in Milwaukee, with all the chaos, crowds, security perimeters and more you might expect with a gigantic modern political event. But amidst all that craziness, a bunch of us still have normal functioning lives to live – and some of that normal functioning living will require navigating in, around or through Downtown this week. 

Whether you're just trying to get into your office for work, have dinner plans at a Downtown restaurant, or just need to get around the city and go about your day, here's some basic info about a very un-basic week in Brew City history – from where the security perimeter is found to altered MTCS bus routes and more.

Main RNC security perimeter

In order to enforce security in and around the massive political gathering, a large barricaded perimeter has been formed around the RNC's main event grounds at Fiserv Forum and Deer District. Here's a map of the security perimeter, which went into full affect this morning at 2 a.m. and will stay in affect through Friday, July 19 at approximately 1 a.m. 

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The yellow areas on the map mark the vehicular perimeter areas, which will still be open to cyclists, scooters and pedestrians. Vehicles, however, will need to be screened before entry at one of the marked black dots on the map. The red area on the map is the pedestrian restricted areas, which are only accessible for credentialed individuals. And yes, Major Goolsby's is clearly marked on this map too. 

The following Downtown roads and streets are expected to be closed, or at the very least in flux in terms of usage, until late Thursday night/early Friday morning:

• W. Wisconsin Avenue, between Old World Third/Martin Luther King Jr Drive and James Lovell Street
• W. Wells Street, between Old World Third/Martin Luther King Jr Drive and James Lovell Street
• W. Kilbourn Avenue, between Old World Third/Martin Luther King Jr Drive and N. 8th Street
• Kilbourn Avenue exit tunnel from Interstate 43
• Kilbourn Avenue entrance tunnel to Interstate 43
• W. State Street, between N. 8th Street and Old World Third/Martin Luther King Jr Drive
• W. Juneau Avenue, between N. 8th Street and Old World Third/Martin Luther King Jr Drive (Moderne Condo garage will be accessible to residents)
• Northbound I-43 offramp to eastbound and westbound Fond du Lac
• W. Fond du Lac Avenue/W. McKinley Avenue/E. Knapp Street between Interstate 43 and N. Water Street
• Old World Third/Martin Luther King Jr Drive, no northbound traffic past W. Juneau Avenue (the Aloft Hotel will be accessible to guests)
• Old World Third/Martin Luther King Jr Drive, no southbound traffic past W. McKinley Avenue
• N. Vel R. Phillips Avenue, between W. Michigan Street and W. McKinley Avenue (the parking garage entrance on N. Vel R. Phillips Avenue immediately south of W. Michigan Street will be accessible to vehicles)
• N. 6th Street, between W. Michigan Street and W. McKinley Avenue (the 5th Street Parking Garage will be accessible to residents of the 550 Ultra Lofts Building and guests of the Trade Hotel via 6th Street)
• N. James Lovell Street, between W. Wells Street and W. Juneau Avenue
• Southbound Interstate 43 ramp for Fond Du Lac Avenue
• Eastbound I-794 Ramp for N James Lovell St.

For more details – including the list of items not allowed within the security perimeter – visit the City of Milwaukee's RNC resource page. 

Parking Downtown

So now you know where and when you can drive around Downtown – but we all know that's only half of the equation. The other part is where and when you can park. Here's a map of the new parking restrictions around the RNC perimeter this week. (For a larger version of the map, click here.) 

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For additional parking restrictions and changes around the Republican National Convention – such as parking alterations around the Pfister Hotel – click here. 

MCTS changes for the RNC

With all of the security and blocked roads for the convention, MCTS bus routes will see some changes over the week – but the buses will still be running in and around the city during all the hubbub.

Through Friday, July 19, adjustments will be made to the CONNECT 1, BlueLine, GreenLine, 12, 15, 18, 19, 30, 31, 33, 34, 57, 80 and 81 routes. Here's a map of the altered routes, as well as a list of the changes expected this week to those stops, provided by MCTS: 

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CONNECT 1 & 30 (Wisconsin Ave East-West Routes)

Will detour off of Wisconsin Avenue between 12th and Milwaukee. Please use the following bus stops during this time:

• Eastbound: Wisconsin & North 16th BRT Station (stop #9640) and Wisconsin & Jefferson/Jackson (stop #66) 
• Westbound: Wisconsin & Jefferson/Jackson (stop #4392) or Wisconsin & North 16th BRT Station (stop #9641) 

BlueLine

Will detour off of regular routing between Wells and 12th and the eastern portion of the route. Please use the following bus stops during this time: 

• Northbound: Highland & 12th Street (stop #2992) 
• Southbound: 12th Street & State (stop #888) 

GreenLine

Will detour off of Water between Pittsburgh and Water/Milwaukee. Please use the following bus stops during this time: 

• Northbound
  • 1st Street & Pittsburgh (stop #2602) 
  • Water & Pleasant (stop #1323) 
  • Milwaukee & Chicago (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Juneau (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Kilbourn (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & St. Paul (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Wisconsin (temporary stop)
• Southbound
  • Water & Pleasant (stop #1421) 
  • 1st Street & Pittsburgh (stop #8557) 
  • Milwaukee & Chicago (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Juneau (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Kilbourn (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & St. Paul (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Wisconsin (temporary stop)

Route 12

Will detour off of regular routing between Wells and 12th and the eastern portion of the route. Please use the following bus stops during this time: 

• Northbound: 12th Street & Wells (stop #890) 
• Southbound: 12th Street & Wells (stop #890) 

Route 15

Will detour off of Water between Pittsburgh and Juneau. Please use the following bus stops during this time: 

• Northbound
  • 1st Street & Pittsburgh (stop #2602) 
  • Juneau & 501 East (stop #1614) 
  • Milwaukee & Chicago (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & St. Paul (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Wisconsin (temporary stop)
• Southbound
  • Juneau & 500 East (stop #1645) 
  • 1st Street & Pittsburgh (stop #8557) 
  • Milwaukee & Chicago (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & St. Paul (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Wisconsin (temporary stop)

Route 18

Will detour off of Water between Pittsburgh and Ogden. Please use the following bus stops during this time: 

• Eastbound
  • South 1st & Pittsburgh (stop #2602) 
  • Broadway & Knapp (stop #1761) 
  • Milwaukee & Chicago (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Juneau (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Kilbourn (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & St. Paul (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Wisconsin (temporary stop)
• Westbound
  • Broadway & Knapp (stop #1761) 
  • South 1st & Pittsburgh (stop #8557)
  • Milwaukee & Chicago (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Juneau (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Kilbourn (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & St. Paul (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Wisconsin (temporary stop)

Route 19

Will detour off of MLK and 6th between Walnut/Pleasant and Pittsburgh. Please use the following bus stops during this time: 

• Northbound
  • 6th Street & Bruce (stop #7218) 
  • MLK Drive & Reservoir (stop #1973) 
  • Milwaukee & Chicago (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Juneau (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Kilbourn (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & St. Paul (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Wisconsin (temporary stop)
• Southbound
  • MLK Drive & Reservoir (stop #1873) 
  • 6th Street & Virginia (stop #7129) 
  • Milwaukee & Chicago (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Juneau (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Kilbourn (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & St. Paul (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Wisconsin (temporary stop)

Route 31

Will detour off of regular routing between Highland and 11th and the eastern portion of the route. Please use the following bus stops during this time: 

• Eastbound: Highland & 12th Street (stop #2990) 
• Westbound: Highland & 12th Street (stop #2992) 

Route 33

Will detour off of regular routing between Juneau and Milwaukee and the eastern portion of the route. Please use the following bus stops during this time: 

• Eastbound
  • Vliet & 15th Street (stop #616) 
  • Prospect & State (stop #1705) 
  • Milwaukee & Juneau (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Kilbourn (temporary stop)
• Westbound
  • Prospect & State (stop #1705) 
  • Vliet & 15th Street (stop #750) 
  • Milwaukee & Juneau (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Kilbourn (temporary stop)

Route 34

Will detour off of 6th Street between Brown and Clybourn. Please use the following bus stops during this time: 

• Eastbound
  • 8th Street & North Ave (stop #8420) 
  • Milwaukee & Juneau (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Kilbourn (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Wisconsin (temporary stop)
• Westbound
  • 7th St & North Ave (stop #8348) 
  • Milwaukee & Juneau (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Kilbourn (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Wisconsin (temporary stop)

Route 57

Will detour off of regular routing between Walnut and MLK and the eastern portion of the route. Please use the following bus stops during this time: 

• Eastbound
  • Walnut & MLK Drive (stop #5644) 
  • Milwaukee & Juneau (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Kilbourn (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Wisconsin (temporary stop)
• Westbound
  • Walnut-Pleasant & MLK Drive (stop #5525) 
  • Milwaukee & Juneau (temporary stop)
  • ​Milwaukee & Kilbourn (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Wisconsin (temporary stop)

Route 80

Will detour off of 6th/Halyard between Virginia and North. Please use the following bus stops during this time:

• Northbound
  • 6th Street & Bruce (stop #7128) 
  • 7th Street & North Ave (stop #8348) 
  • Milwaukee & Chicago (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Juneau (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Kilbourn (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & St. Paul (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Wisconsin (temporary stop)
• Southbound
  • 8th Street & North Ave (stop #8420) 
  • 6th Street & Virginia (stop #7129) 
  • Milwaukee & Chicago (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Juneau (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Kilbourn (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & St. Paul (temporary stop)
  • Milwaukee & Wisconsin (temporary stop)

Route 81

Will detour off of 6th between McKinley and Canal. Please use the following bus stops during this time:

• Northbound
  • 6th Street & National (stop #7217) 
  • Walnut & 14th Street (stop #5531) 
• Southbound
  • Walnut & 14th Street (stop #5637) 
  • 6th Street & National (stop #7131) 

For more information on the bus routes during the next wild week, visit MCTS's website.