Boardwalk Tram Service operates passenger transport on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City.
MARGATE – The city is in the early stages of considering instituting trolley or other transportation services to move people around town during the summer months.
Administrator Patrick Moran said the city is currently gathering information about what type of transportation, associated costs and potential routes could be considered before it decides if it will solicit bids for the service.
Mayor Michael Collins said the issue of moving people around town and the shortage of parking spaces during the height of the summer season has been suggested, “so we are investigating it,” he said.
Moran is gathering information on costs and the type of shuttle service, such as jitneys, trolleys or trams.
“Everything is on the table,” Collins said. “Nothing concrete has developed at this time and there are no specific plans. We are doing information gathering before we make a decision.”
Suggestions from residents, business people and the Advisory Board influenced the Board of Commissioners' decision to investigate options and what makes financial sense for the city, Collins said.
The Advisory Board has been part of the discussions from the beginning.
“I met with Rich Tolson, the head of the Advisory Board, and talked with representatives of Ocean City about their jitney service several months ago to determine if doing it is in our best interest,” he said.
Businesswoman Roz Tynan, owner of Jamaican Me Crazy in the Ventnor Avenue Commercial Business District, said she brought an Atlantic City tram service operator to the table, who mapped out a program that would make sense for Margate.
Because of over-development without parking and lost opportunities to purchase sites to turn into parking lots, the only thing the city can do now is “apply a tourniquet – start a people-moving business,” Tynan said.
“Now my business is suffering. Everyone who walks in my store complains they can’t find a parking space. There’s a lot of negative energy coming from our customers," she said.
Tynan said she arranged a meeting with the mayor, administrator and tram car operator, who “came with a nice proposal. It was a positive meeting, now they have to make it happen,” she said.
Collins said he is aware of the difficulties experienced with the service provided through the Atlantic City Jitney Association when it was instituted on a trial basis several years ago. Jitney operators said the service was barely utilized by residents, mainly because the jitneys only stopped at certain locations and the public was uninformed about the stops.
At the time the idea was first considered, some residents opposed the service because they didn’t want people getting on and off the jitney in front of their homes late into the evening, and Realtors said the jitneys would negatively affect real estate values.
Collins said limiting hours of operation could be considered.
“We don’t want to set it up to fail,” he said. “Since the last time we tried it, the town has changed and it’s busier than ever.”
Collins said if the city wants to put it in place for this summer, they must move quickly on it.
In neighboring Ventnor City, Mayor Tim Kriebel said he has not been contacted by Margate, but he would be interested in talking about it.
“I’m sure there are hurdles to overcome with logistics, especially because NJ Transit operates bus service on Ventnor Avenue, but there could be a route that would be appropriate for summer.”
Kriebel said he would like to connect the Ventnor Theater district with the Central Business District.
“We all suffer from a lack of parking and if this helps our businesses operating during the 100 days of summer, I’m all for it,” he said. “But it depends on the details. We always strive to be efficient with taxpayer dollars.”
