FREE WEEKEND TROLLEY SERVICE OFF TO GREAT START

Michael Webster

The City of Laguna Beach would like to thank all of the residents and visitors who helped make the opening weekend of the off-season trolleys a tremendous success!  Total ridership over the weekend greatly exceeded expectations.  In fact, preliminary data indicates that just over 7,000 people rode the free trolleys from Friday afternoon through Sunday evening, nearly quadruple the number of riders necessary to sustain grant funding for the program.  During peak times, there were up to six trolleys operating on Coast Highway and the wait time between trolleys was generally 15 - 20 minutes. 

In commenting on the opening weekend, Mayor Bob Whalen said, “City staff, Visit Laguna Beach, the Chamber of Commerce, local hotels and businesses did a fantastic job in promoting the launch of the off-season trolleys and I thank all of them.  The City is committed to improving traffic circulation in Laguna by moving more people without cars and this is another example of how we are making progress toward that goal.”  

The “Coastal” trolley route includes a loop along Coast Highway extending from the Mission Hospital parking area in South Laguna to Cajon Street in North Laguna.  The hours of operation are Fridays from 4:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m., Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m., and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.  The weekend service is funded primarily by the Orange County Transportation Authority’s Project V grant program.  The City’s grant funding is contingent on the expanded weekend service achieving minimum ridership goals, so it is imperative that residents and visitors continue to ride the free trolleys to ensure the long-term viability of the program.  If you have any questions, or for more information, please contact Tom Toman, Deputy Director of Community Services/Parking and Transit Manager, at (949) 497-0303.

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