Trolley System for Manhattan Beach Could Be a Pipe Dream

Getting people moving is a slow process.

Back in December 2008, the city approved a contract for Greg Meeks of Rural Transit Consultants to conduct a feasibility survey for a trolley system in Manhattan Beach. Now that the survey is completed, and the results paint an optimistic picture of a "fun, fast and free" system, the heavy lifting really begins.

Meeks' vision includes themed trolleys gliding silently through Manhattan Beach while beaming residents and starry-eyed tourists gaze on. "What you create when you have a fun vehicle is a Disneyland-esque type of environment where people go green and they have fun doing it," Meeks said during a presentation at a recent City Council meeting.

But the fairy tale also comes with a price tag of $360,000 to $437,000 per year. And that's enough to put the dream on hold.

Despite resounding enthusiasm for the project from members of the City Council, investigating funding sources and preparing the appropriate documents for approval will take at least a year. Only after the money matters are figured out can conversation begin about putting the system into place.

"We're not trying to rush this through," said Councilman Nick Tell. "We need to take the time. It makes sense–another year, and we do it right. It's going to be a new venture for us and we have to make sure we've thought through all the obstacles and issues."

To pay for the system, Meeks suggested searching for grants and using Proposition R funds, which currently amount to about $360,000. Trolley systems in other cities initiated by Rural Transit Consultants have made use of advertising on the sides of the trolleys as well as donation boxes that, according to Meeks, bring in $400 to $600 per month. Although Meeks recommended a free-use service, he also reminded the City Council that Santa Barbara had introduced a fee of 25 cents simply to keep the homeless population from inhabiting its trolleys.

Councilwoman Portia Cohen suggested that the council reserve funds for future development of the plan. In the meantime, conducting the year-long feasibility study has cost the city as much as $27,000. Although the exact figure was not detailed at the meeting, the initial documents specified an estimate, which was to be paid from the council's contingency fund.

"We have an existing transportation system called Dial-a-Ride," Richard Ziev, a resident and vice chair of the senior advisory committee, said at the council meeting. "We have a very substantial investment in it and it operates very well."

Ziev told the council that because of impending cuts and inconclusive projections about available funds from such sources as Proposition R, a conservative course of action should be considered.

"It has a very catchy mantra,"  Ziev said. "Fun, fast, free ... but we also have to add 'financially expensive.'"

Past attempts to introduce a trolley system to Manhattan Beach failed to come to fruition. The trolley system of the 1980s was halted in 1986 after frequent service and maintenance issues. As another resident pointed out, the new trolley route is very similar to previous ones, which failed due to being "economically unfeasible."

Nevertheless, Councilman Wayne Powell called the new system a "win-win situation."

"We have issues with parking meter rates, and this would alleviate that too," Powell said. "Then for the environment, we have environmentally friendly vehicles. That would be great."

According to Meeks, the two-trolley system would operate 10 to 14 hours per day, with a wait time of no more than 30 minutes. The designated route, spanning east to west, would put every resident in Manhattan Beach within eight blocks of a trolley stop.