THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 10, 1995 TAG: 9508080112
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 15 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SCOTT McCASKEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 45 lines
A holiday trolley ride from Ocean View to downtown Norfolk is out of gas for this summer season.
Run on a trial basis Saturday through Tuesday over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, poor ridership has the idea parked at least until next year. Had the trek proved successful, there were tentative plans to run it during Labor Day weekend.
According to Tidewater Regional Transit, which provided the vehicle, there were 231 passengers in the four days. The city had hoped to recoup most of the approximately $2,000 in operation costs. At $1 for adults and 50 cents for children, each way, the funds came up short.
``The numbers were a little disappointing,'' City Councilman W. Randy Wright said. ``There was not enough advance time to promote this properly.''
The trolley ran between Willoughby and Waterside from 11 a.m. until 10:15 p.m. each day. The route followed Ocean View Avenue to Capeview Avenue to Bayview Boulevard and on to Granby Street. From Granby, the trolley picked up Monticello Avenue to Waterside.
Wright, who took the trolley, said the route left room for improvement.
``I thought there was duplicity going up and down both sides of Ocean View Avenue,'' Wright said. ``It added 20 minutes. That needs to be changed if we do this in the future.''
Max Mosier, an Ocean View resident, was - and still is - a proponent of the trolley. Although he also said the route needs to be shortened, and perhaps mapped through Ghent, he thinks the ride would be an important service for Norfolk.
``It's probably too late this year, but we need to do something for our city,'' Mosier said. ``We helped subsidize a trolley to Virginia Beach several years ago. I think this would work if we gave it the right support.''
Wright said that if the trolley is to be tried again, more preparation and advertising will go into it.
``We would have to have plenty of public notice on this,'' Wright said. ``We could plan it for Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day. If things did not go well on Memorial Day, we could reconsider.'' by CNB