Manhattan Beach trolley talks trail on

Source: http://www.easyreadernews.com/41984/trolley-talks-trail/

News|December 14, 2011 11:25 am


After years of debating the implementation of a fixed-route trolley system in Manhattan Beach, the City Council decided to pursue the project further by soliciting feedback from residents through a needs assessment.

The proposed trolley system would cost between $562,000 and $633,000 to implement during its first year, and up to $483,000 annually thereafter, depending on its hours of operation, according to Richard Gill, director of parks and recreation.

To fund the trolley, the city would exhaust the $350,000 in available Measure R funds. The city anticipates receiving $279,000 in revenue annually in Measure R funds – still, operating costs for the trolley could exceed these revenues by up to $250,000 per year, according to a city staff report.

Competing projects for these funds include street repairs and the Dial-A-Ride program, Gill said. The numbers do not include revenue from the trolley, which could be gained through a riding fee or by selling advertisements on the trolley.

Councilmember Amy Howorth thought a trolley could decrease traffic throughout the city and provide children transportation to school or summer camp on the beach. “I think we need to try it,” she said. “There’s a community benefit to having public transportation.”

The proposed trolley would offer riders transportation from east to west and back. “I think if we do it right, there will be a demand for it,” said Mayor Nick Tell.

Mayor Pro Tem Wayne Powell and Councilmember David Lesser were opposed to the project. “We all would welcome a free service, but it somehow needs to be paid for,” Lesser said, later adding that while he grew up riding a bus, he is concerned about the viability of the proposal.

Powell drew parallels between the proposed trolley and other transportation options like the Ocean Express, which the city is asked to subsidize each year due to low ridership, he said. “I can’t support something that’s not cost effective,” he said, adding that pedestrian improvements and pothole repairs are among the list of competing uses of the funds. “I believe we have an obligation to spend our taxpayers’ money wisely.”

Resident Patrick McBride spoke against bringing a trolley system to Manhattan Beach. “There’s better ways to spend this money,” he said. “People in Manhattan Beach don’t want to ride public transportation. That is the sad truth.”