McKinney | July 2024

Government

BY SHELBIE HAMILTON

A new public transportation option, the McKin- ney Downtown Trolley, began operating July 5. The details The new trolley oers rides on a xed route in and around downtown. It operates from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday each week as well as during special events. The trolley is also available to rent, according to the city’s website. The trolley’s route takes about 20 minutes to complete a full circuit, according to the city’s website. Riders will board the trolley at designated pickup stops but are able to get o the trolley at any point along the route. The 21-foot-long, 14,500-pound trolley seats 14 passengers in addition to the driver, who will oer historical and educational facts about the city during trolley rides. The trolley rides are free, with the option to provide tips to the trolley driver, Cultural District Director Andrew Jones said. However, Jones said the primary goal of the trol- ley is addressing mobility challenges in the area, such as crossing active roadways. For instance, a visitor to the downtown square could utilize the trolley to get to Tupps Brewery on the east side of SH 5 rather than crossing the highway on foot. “This helps increase the mobility of everybody around downtown, ... but we want that experience to be enlightening, educational and also enjoy- able,” Jones said. The route will pass destinations in the down- town area including McKinney City Hall, the McKinney Performing Arts Center, the Collin County History Museum, and the Roy and Helen Hall Memorial Library. It also passes various parking lots and garages. Diving deeper The trolley cost about $211,000 and was funded by the McKinney Community Development Corp. and McKinney Main Street as well as hotel occupancy tax funds, the city’s website states. The trolley will be maintained by McKinney Main Street, with annual operating expenses estimated at $25,000, Jones said. The trolley will replace the DASH system, a free downtown shuttle that utilized a six-seat golf cart for on-demand transportation around downtown. “We knew there was a huge opportunity to make New trolley oers free rides around downtown

Trolley route Trolley stops

E. LAMAR ST.

W. LOGAN ST.

E. LOGAN ST.

E. HUNT ST.

E. HERNDON ST.

E. VIRGINIA ST.

E.LOUISIANA ST.

W. CLOYD ST.

E. CLOYD ST.

E. DAVIS ST.

MAP NOT TO SCALE

the DASH experience better and have it feel more connected to our history, and also be a great fun experience,” Jones said. Jones said he does not anticipate an impact to the ow of trac in downtown as a result of trolley operations. “You will see it around, and you may have to slow down while somebody hops on or gets dropped o, but that’s happening already; we already have our DASH,” he said. The setup Jones said there were multiple trolleys that have run through downtown McKinney in the past. The rst interurban commuter train car system in the area debuted in 1907 and spanned from Dallas to Denison, with the McKinney portion trav- eling along Kentucky Street. The system operated for more than 40 years before closing, the city’s website states. Jones said the city’s new trolley is numbered “151” in honor of the rst trolley that operated downtown. Jones noted city sta aimed to select a trolley that had a similar look to the interurban cars that operated from the 1930s to the 1950s. The design also inspired the new trolley’s paint scheme and signage, he said. “We wanted to nd the one model of the inter- urban that most people recognize,” Jones said.

Riders will board the trolley at designated pickup stops but are able to get o the trolley at any point.

COURTESY CITY OF MCKINNEY

Quote of note “Downtown is unique because of its history, because of the unique architecture and also our independent small businesses,” Jones said. “[The trolley] helps us serve them and the community down here.”

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