U City Seeks More Information from Loop Trolley Co.

A letter from the City of University City regarding a conditional use permit (CUP) for the Loop Trolley is not a rejection of the plan, according to trolley officials. Instead is a merely a step in the planning project.

"This is just a notice that we needed to have some traffic counts done," said Doug Campion, project manager for the Loop Trolley. "Those were in the works and should come to a head next week."

The Nov. 29 letter from U City's Department of Community Development reviewed a Nov. 9 CUP application for the trolley.

Staff deemed the application incomplete, citing two two deficiencies. They are:

• Estimated impact of the conditional use on the surrounding properties and adjacent streets, including, but not limited to, average daily and peak hour traffic generation, existing traffic, volumes of adjacent streets, if available, use of outdoor intercoms, and any other operational characteristics of the proposed use that may have impacts on other adjacent or nearby properties.
• The Loop Trolley Co. also must demostrate that the impact of the projected vehicular traffic, volumes and site access is not detrimental with regard to the surrounding traffic flow, pedestrian safety, and accessibility of emergency vehicles.

"We're making some minor changes here and there," Campion said. "But really everything is moving along."

Campion said the project should be ready to go out to bid in January 2013. 

The Loop Trolley will be a 2.2-mile fixed track trolley line from the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park to the University City Public Library. Since its inception, the ultimate goal of the Loop Trolley project is economic development and improved livability along Delmar east of Skinker and along DeBaliviere.

The double track line through University City goes to single track at Kingsland and will stub in front of the library.

Voters in University City and St. Louis approved the creation of the Loop Trolley Transportation Development District (TDD) in 2007. The TDD is responsible for building the loop trolley system and setting up operations. Businesses in a defined geographic area along the route pay 1 percent sales tax to support the TDD.

The TDD Board consists of St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, U City Mayor Shelley Welsch, entrepreneur and Loop business owner Joe Edwards, and Metro President & CEO John Nations.

Annual operating costs are estimated to be about $1.3 million. The system will be revenue supported with $600,000 from fares, $500,000 from the TDD, and $200,000 from advertising and institutional subsidies.

The Loop Trolley is scheduled to open in mid-2014.

For more on the Loop Trolley project, see Patch's previous coverage:

• Loop Trolley Company Director Steps Down
• Loop Trolley Loses $1 Million from History Museum
• University City Signs Letter of Support for Loop Trolley
• Loop Trolley Receives $25 Million Federal Grant
• Part 4: Loop Trolley Q and A
• Part 3: Loop Trolley Q and A
• Part 2: Loop Trolley Q and A
• City Releases Loop Trolley Q and A
• Packed House Turns Out for Loop Trolley Information