By DOTTY NIST
“There’s a disease out there, and it’s traffic,” said Alan Roberts of Sunshine Shuttle.<--more-->
“We’ve got the answer,” he emphasized.
Fresh in CR-30A residents’ minds is the extreme traffic congestion that was recently experienced during the summer tourist season.
Roberts maintains that traffic congestion can be calmed during this critical period by providing trolley service 100 days a year, without the infrastructure expense of measures such as speed humps, lane width reduction, and roundabouts.
Funded by local businesses, Sunshine 30A Trolley has been in operation for the past two years, providing free transportation along a portion of CR-30A seven days a week from late May to early September, with riders able to track trolley arrival time via a phone app.
Roberts notes that ridership has doubled since the service began, even without marketing by the county or the Walton County Tourist Development Council (TDC). For July 2015 alone, Sunshine reports almost 3,000 trolley riders
Plans for 2016 are to extend service to the entire length of CR-30A and increase the number of trolleys from one to four. Thirty stops have been identified along the corridor, Roberts said, and plans are for vehicles to arrive hourly.
In addition to the goal of improving traffic circulation and parking in the area, new for 2016 will be the opportunity for local organizations and entities to partner with Sunshine 30A Trolley to enhance their community outreach programs through the use of flags, signs and videos displayed on the trolleys. Envisioned are safety messages such as “Don’t drink and drive,” and display of the beach flag warning system, along with those related to the Leave No Trace Program.
In 2017, plans are for the trolley service to expand west to Scenic Gulf Drive, eventually extending from county line to county line.
“In order to grow, we need help,” Roberts said.
Sunshine Shuttle plans to go before the TDC at its 9 a.m. Oct. 6 meeting at the South Walton Annex to seek the organization’s support and participation in the partnership program. A presentation on the Sunshine 30A Trolley is planned.
Information on Sunshine Shuttle and the trolley program are available at www.sunshineshuttle.com. Roberts may be reached by phone at (850) 650-6333, extension 106.
“There’s a disease out there, and it’s traffic,” said Alan Roberts of Sunshine Shuttle.<--more-->
“We’ve got the answer,” he emphasized.
Fresh in CR-30A residents’ minds is the extreme traffic congestion that was recently experienced during the summer tourist season.
Roberts maintains that traffic congestion can be calmed during this critical period by providing trolley service 100 days a year, without the infrastructure expense of measures such as speed humps, lane width reduction, and roundabouts.
Funded by local businesses, Sunshine 30A Trolley has been in operation for the past two years, providing free transportation along a portion of CR-30A seven days a week from late May to early September, with riders able to track trolley arrival time via a phone app.
Roberts notes that ridership has doubled since the service began, even without marketing by the county or the Walton County Tourist Development Council (TDC). For July 2015 alone, Sunshine reports almost 3,000 trolley riders
Plans for 2016 are to extend service to the entire length of CR-30A and increase the number of trolleys from one to four. Thirty stops have been identified along the corridor, Roberts said, and plans are for vehicles to arrive hourly.
In addition to the goal of improving traffic circulation and parking in the area, new for 2016 will be the opportunity for local organizations and entities to partner with Sunshine 30A Trolley to enhance their community outreach programs through the use of flags, signs and videos displayed on the trolleys. Envisioned are safety messages such as “Don’t drink and drive,” and display of the beach flag warning system, along with those related to the Leave No Trace Program.
In 2017, plans are for the trolley service to expand west to Scenic Gulf Drive, eventually extending from county line to county line.
“In order to grow, we need help,” Roberts said.
Sunshine Shuttle plans to go before the TDC at its 9 a.m. Oct. 6 meeting at the South Walton Annex to seek the organization’s support and participation in the partnership program. A presentation on the Sunshine 30A Trolley is planned.
Information on Sunshine Shuttle and the trolley program are available at www.sunshineshuttle.com. Roberts may be reached by phone at (850) 650-6333, extension 106.