Night Trolleybus service in Riverside/Avondale

[Dog Walker]

RAP is working with area businesses, restaurants and bars to try to get trolleybus service in the area at night like there is at the beach.

From the RAP website:

On Saturday, September 14th from 6:00pm to Midnight, RAP is partnering with area businesses to run a very special evening trolley service. There are 17 stops covering both residential and commercial areas of the neighborhood.

With the rapid growth of Riverside Avondale’s business districts, there is an ever increasing demand for parking. Riverside Avondale is unique, as our commercial corridors and adjacent residential properties are often separated only by a very narrow ally. Limited parking was developed as part of the original, historic plans and we now have many more people driving to businesses then 50 years ago. RAP’s Transportation Committee polled the customers frequenting Riverside Avondale restaurants and bars and found that about half of their customers are coming from within the neighborhood. RAP believes there is an opportunity to provide some relief with an expansion of the Riverside Trolley.

The Riverside Avondale Night Trolley is an opportunity to encourage the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) to provide a night trolley service in the our neighborhood, similar to the one at the Beaches. You can help by riding the trolley to show the JTA that our neighborhood will support the night trolley in force.

Businesses and private individuals have shown fantastic support by helping RAP to sponsor the cost of the trolleys. Local neighborhood advocate, Allan DeVault stated "Using the trolley at night to service the neighborhood is a win across the board for me as a business owner and resident. It's one part of the solution to the parking challenges. It reduces excess traffic on the streets, encourages more walking, and allows people to enjoy themselves a little more at night knowing there is clean, safe and reliable public transportation to get them home."

The Night Trolley will feature 17 stops throughout the neighborhood, making it convenient for residents to walk to a stop, as well as stops in all of the commercial corridors. There will be printed route maps and on the night of the event, a mobile optimized website will be available showing all the trolley stops and the real time locations of the running trolleys.

Tickets for the first night will be given away at participating sponsors prior to the event or can be purchased on Riverside Night Trolley Tickets for a $5 and include unlimited rides that night. Visit RAP's Website for more information. And don't forget to RSVP on our Facebook Event Any proceeds will go to continued transportation and parking efforts in Riverside Avondale neighborhood.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED from 9:15pm-Midnight to collect trolley fares, provide information, and have fun! Contact Torrie at 389-2449 or volunteer@riversideavondale.org

This is the brainchild of Allan DeVault, managing partner of Blacksheep.  He is also President of the 5 Points Merchants Association and a member of the RAP Transportation Committee.

Sounds like it could be a fun evening!

[PeeJayEss]

Good to see RAP exploring some improved transportation options.

Here's a link to a map of the route. One of you guys might know how to imbed it, feel free. Otherwise, I've put a screenshot below. The map on the RAP page was pretty hard to read.
http://tinyurl.com/l3kw4sc


The stops are:
Park Street and Margaret Street (Five Points)
Margaret St and Riverside Ave (Memorial Park)
Stockton Street and Riverside Ave
Cherry Street and St Johns Ave
Elizabeth Place and St Johns Ave
Talbot Ave and St Johns Ave (Shoppes of Avondale)
Van Wert Ave and St Johns Ave (Boone Park)
St Johns Ave & Herschel St
Herschel St & Pine Grove Ave
Dancy Street and Park Street
Edgewood Ave and Park Street
Mcduff Ave and Park Street
King Street and Park Street (Whiteway Corner)
King Street and Gilmore Street (Brewery District)
Stockton Street and College Street
Park Street and Copeland Street

[PeeJayEss]

Would be nice to see it tying into the Skyway. But considering that would add about 50% to the distance just to add that one stop (to a service JTA would have to then run at night) while also potentially taking business away from the businesses sponsoring the trolley, I imagine that's too much to ask.

[Josh]

Very cool to see the route now, but where are the previously mentioned designated parking areas going to be, or did they not pan out? We can make some assumptions from the route obviously.

Thankfully I'm only a block away from one of the stops 

[jaxlore]

Here is the fb link https://www.facebook.com/events/631553193529325/ I really wish it went until 1-2am though.

[Dog Walker]

Here is the fb link https://www.facebook.com/events/631553193529325/ I really wish it went until 1-2am though.

They wanted to, but $128 per hour per trolley and three trolleys made the extra hours beyond the funds available.  If the experiment works out the hours will be extended.  Enough traffic and it won't be just on Saturday night either.

Let's jam the place!  Thanks for posting the link.