Del Ray/Arlandria Trolley Project Hits Bump in Road
City did not receive a bid to operate the line following a request for contractors.
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The Del Ray/Arlandria Trolley project appears to be in a bit of jeopardy.
After City Council approved a route from King Street Metro to Arlandria in June, the city’s Department of Transportation and Environmental Services issued a formal request for proposals to operate the line on Oct. 4.
According to a Nov. 16 report from City Manager Rashad Young, the city publicized the request and held a meeting for interested investors. However, no bids had been submitted when the request period closed on Oct. 31.
The city opted to have a contractor operate the Del Ray-Arlandria line instead of DASH, which operates the King Street Trolley. The city used a contractor to operate the King Street line until April, when its new hybrid trolleys went into service and operations were placed in the hands of the city's transit company.
When the request for proposals for the King Street Trolley was issued in 2008, just one bid was received.
“Today’s weaker economic climate and the nature of this initiative as a pilot project may have contributed to the lack of bids on the Del Ray/Arlandria Trolley,” the manager’s report reads.
T&ES staff is exploring options to move forward with the trolley service into Del Ray and Arlandria. Those options could be discussed at a community meeting on Thursday night to address transportation issues in the Del Ray area.
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Autoexec.bat
8:47 am on Friday, November 30, 2012
Maybe it's a sign...
earthsteward1
10:52 am on Friday, November 30, 2012
Why would the city seek an outside contractor to run the Arlandria line when we have one of the best bus operating systems in the country? If it isn't broken, don't fix it.
Drew Hansen
11:16 am on Friday, November 30, 2012
Sherrie, the city wants to use a contractor because it's a pilot program. The city did the same thing with the King Street Trolley. The city isn't looking to buy vehicles for the line until they know it is a successful program. The contractor will supply the vehicles. DASH may end up helping out with the Del Ray/Arlandria line sooner than what was once thought. I'll have more info soon.