DATE: Thursday, May 29, 1997                TAG: 9705290427

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY BILL REED, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   66 lines

BEACH EXPANDS TROLLEY RUNS AT OCEANFRONT

The city launched its long-awaited tourist-season trolley service Wednesday night at the Oceanfront by routing the lumbering carriers through two dedicated lanes of Atlantic Avenue in greater frequency and numbers.

Public Works Department crew members hit the street shortly before 6 p.m. to set out orange traffic cones along the outside lanes between 15th and 24th streets to keep cars out of the trolley lanes. Every night for the next four months, the lanes will be reserved for trolleys from 7 p.m. to midnight.

The lanes are part of the city's latest experiment to try and relieve congestion at the Oceanfront by encouraging motorists to use municipal parking lots and leave the driving to Tidewater Regional Transit. The City Council agreed to spend $300,000 to upgrade the trolley system.

TRT is supplying eight trolleys, plus drivers and substitutes, for the service.

Early-evening observations Wednesday revealed that the fledgling operation got off to a slow but positive start.

Ridership was sparse, but the trolleys maintained their 15-minute intervals and caused no traffic backups. Chilly winds kept pedestrians on the Oceanfront streets to a modest trickle, cutting down the trolley customer base.

Trolley driver Ricco Jerry, who had been maneuvering his vehicle along a 40-block route since 4 p.m., said he had ferried 34 riders along the Oceanfront by 7 p.m.

The weekend and warmer weather could bring greater numbers of visitors and possible traffic problems to the Oceanfront, said Capt. E.E. Rorer, commander of the 2nd Police Precinct, headquartered two blocks from the resort strip.

Rob Hudome, coordinator of resort activities and projects for the city, said the new service could be altered to skirt any obstacles or problems that might arise during the summer.

Organizers of the service are trying to ensure that:

More trolleys ply the Oceanfront more frequently - every 15 minutes or less - rather than the 30-minute interval that had been the standard.

Trolleys run an extended route from 42nd Street to the Virginia Marine Science Museum on General Booth Boulevard.

North and south lanes of Atlantic Avenue are reserved for trolleys on summer nights.

Resort business patrons ride trolleys without charge or pay with reduced-fee, 10-cent tokens or tickets provided by Oceanfront merchants or municipal parking lots. The usual rate is 50 cents per rider.

Radio-equipped supervisors take to the streets to ensure that trolley service is frequent, on time and reliable as advertised.

There are more signs to indicate trolley stops.

Trolley drivers are more courteous and helpful to passengers. To help them and customers get in a more festive mood, drivers have undergone hospitality training. They also have been issued sporty pastel polo shirts and khaki shorts to get them and riders in a more festive mood. The trolleys have undergone a festive redecoration.

Hudome said the midweek start-up was designed to give city and TRT officials a chance to see how the Oceanfront shuttle is working before the coming weekend, when the annual Viva Elvis III festival is expected to draw thousands of visitors. ``We want to get the bugs out before it really gets busy down there,'' he said.

The beefed-up service has won the approval of business groups at the Oceanfront, including the resort innkeepers association. ILLUSTRATION: STAFF/File photo

Two lanes of Atlantic Avenue will be reserved for trolleys from 7

p.m. to midnight. KEYWORDS: TRT VIRGINIA BEACH OCEANFRONT TROLLEY

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