If you missed it in Flimsies, some interesting ridership figures and public comments on the Little Rock trolley operation in Arkansas:

http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasb ... rolle.aspx

Some like it, others consider it an expensive toy that goes nowhere, but always interesting to read what "outsiders" think of such historic transportation projects.

I think we are not doing a good job of telling the story of how well historic trolley lines can work as economic development engines in areas where bulldozing historic structures to create parking decks and additional automobile lanes is the only other option - and in the process removing the initial attraction to the redevelopment area.

Sometimes they can provide real transit service at the same time. There just needs to be a critical mass of patronized operation to allow for that function.

I don't know that the destination mass served by the Little Rock operation has yet reached that critical point. A good argument for expansion, from my POV.

Gotta wonder why people loudly demanding user fees provide a return on transportation investment have no problem with free road repavings with no tolls charged. Hiding cost under a couple layers of municipal bureaucracy seems to work pretty well, i suppose.

dave

I find it amusing how people in smaller cities think a streetcar or a trolley is a tourist draw, and therefore not transit. With over 100K in ridership, that system is an amazing feet for such a small town.