Delmar Loop Trolley Dedicated, But Still Not Open To Public

ST. LOUIS, MO — It snowed Thursday in St. Louis, but officials pressed on for the Loop Trolley's official dedication ceremony, pretending to drive a golden spike in the comfort of Delmar Hall rather than braving the weather to do it for real. The Trolley stayed indoors too, with the company officially delaying the start of its service for at least one more day.

Like most things associated with the Trolley, the dedication ceremony got started late. Joe Edwards, the real estate developer who owns much of The Loop, led things off. Edwards first proposed the long-delayed trolley in 1997 and the Loop Trolley Transportation Development District was established just 11 years later. Construction began in 2014, with an anticipated opening set for 2016. Since then, deadline after deadline has flown past, but as of today, the Trolley is officially (almost) open.

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"What a great day," Edwards said, highlighting the nostalgia of the vintage trolleys and the benefits he says they will bring to St. Louis and University City.

"Trolley lines attract tourists and residents who support economic development and arts and cultural institutions," he continued. "Visitors reach their destinations more easily by simply hopping on a trolley. The ease of access stabilizes neighborhoods and improves the quality of life of those who want to live and work in livable, walk-able communities."

He praised the trolley cars as "stunningly beautiful" and said they will provide an environmentally friendly form of transportation. "It really is back to the future," he said.

"Today is a big day. It's a very big day," said Clayco vice president Tom Sieckhaus. His company was among two real estate firms to front the Trolley half a million dollars last year when the project had stalled due to a revenue shortfall.

"Hard work has finally paid off for all those who had the vision and the foresight to dream big," he added.

Big is right — more than $50 million big. That's the final cost for the 2.2 mile trolley line. A $25 million Federal Transit Authority grant as well as local grants, tax credits and a special districtwide sales tax made up the bulk of the project's initial funding. St. Louis County provided $3 million toward the project, while University City kicked in $250,000 plus a 1-cent sales tax on businesses in the Loop Trolley Transportation Development District.

That tax has provided less revenue than was anticipated as a slew of businesses have closed in the Loop and others have seen less foot traffic due to the construction of the Trolley line.

But Loop business owners — those who still have businesses in The Loop — were optimistic today. Ley Woods, who owns Cocktailz: A Beauty Bar quoted Michelle Obama, saying 'We have a responsibility to be optimistic." She asked guests to take a selfie to show their support for the Trolley.

"Wish [the Trolley] well," she said, "because we know that our thoughts will rule the day. The Trolley will be monumental for all of us, our community, our city, and it will be successful — not easy —but it will be successful. So hang in there, because I sure have. In rain, sleet or snow, the Trolley will roll."

Only it didn't. While public service had been scheduled to begin after the dedication ceremony this morning, officials called it off because of the "unnatural weather."

"If we've waited this long, we can wait one more day," said Kevin Barbeau, executive director of the Loop Trolley Company, promising to put riders' safety first.

That said, some have complained that the Trolley's tracks make the Loop unsafe for bikers, while others have pointed out that the tracks run perilously close to some parking spaces. Last month, the trolley had its first accident when it clipped a parked car, and just this week, the Riverfront Times reports, it hit another.

But, said Kitty Ratcliffe, president of Explore St. Louis, "...the Trolley is fun. ... People love fun forms of transportation."

"Transportation is key [to tourism]," she continued. "The access, for someone who didn't come with a car, is essential. ... This is a project that creates that access."

University City Mayor Terry Crow and St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson concluded the dedication ceremony.

"This [project] is an example of what our community can do when we all work together," Crow added.

Taking a page from history, city and county officials pretended to drive a golden spike to mark the project's completion. In 1869, officials used a similar spike to celebrate the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, a project begun during the Civil War and built by hand in just six years — seven years ahead of an 1876 deadline set by Congress.

Unlike the transcontinental railroad, the trolley will only run four days a week: Thursday to Sunday, noon to 8 p.m., with service extended to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. It also won't run in the snow.

Photos by J. Ryne Danielson/Patch