Clang, clang, clang went the trolley
Twenty years from now December 5th, 2005, will be regarded as a significant date in the history of the St. Louis region. Why you ask? Today the ribbon was cut to open two restored trolley cars to the public. We are still a long way from the ridding the trolley cars from the History Museum to the U-City City Hall but this was an important next step.
Cutting the ribbon from left to right is Kim Tucci, Joe Edwards, Desmond Lee, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, St. Louis County Executive Charles Dooley, and University City Mayor Joseph Adams.
Earlier today, generous St. Louisan Desmond Lee contributed $25,000 toward the $32 million dollar project.
I’m not going to go into all the details of the project here. You can read more from Citizens for Modern Transit, Trolleys To Go, and Heritage Trolley.
What I will say is this cannot come soon enough!
Yes, $32 million for 2.2 miles is a bit steep. Kinda like the cost to lure the Rams to St. Louis was more than if we had just given Bidwell the stadium he wanted to keep the football Cardinals in St. Louis, had we kept rail service in St. Louis we wouldn’t be looking at big start-up expenses.
Forty years have passed since anyone rode a streetcar in St. Louis, save for the display at the Transportation Museum. Four decades. Yes, we’ve had MetroLink light rail since the early 90s but it is just not the same. There is just something appealing about a transit car running down the street. This trolley line will do wonders for the developing East loop area.
One could argue that the loop, both East and West, is going fine and doesn’t need the federal dollars that it will likely receive to move this project forward. I agree philosophically. Cherokee Street comes to mind a commercial street that could benefit from an exciting transportation system such as this trolley system. But Cherokee Street doesn’t have a Joe Edwards pushing for anything. So I say build the trolley not where it is needed most but where we can get it built and where it will get used.
Once built the region, I hope, will demand more streetcars throughout the city and region.
For such an important day it is interesting to note who was not present. Other than Alderman Lyda Krewson no other members of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen were there. I don’t know members of the County Council so I’m not sure if they were present or not, none where introduced. We are witnessing the elements that indicate a change in demographics away from sprawl and back to urbanity. You’d think our elected officials would want to participate? Perhaps they are so busy with some of the mundane details of their fiefdom they can’t see the big picture?
I look forward to the ribbon cutting for that first ride on the new trolley. That day will be far more significant than today. Lets just hope it comes soon.
– Steve
