Little Rock — Trolley Expansion

Rail Transit Online, August 2005

The Central Arkansas Transit Authority board of directors has voted to implement an expansion of River Rail trolley service to include one car covering the entire 2.2-mi. (3.54 km) route at all times.  Currently, one streetcar covers the Little Rock loop and another travels around the North Little Rock loop and crosses the Arkansas River Bridge to Little Rock.  At the foot of the bridge, passengers heading into the city must transfer to another car.  A through route operates only on weekends and Thursday and Friday afternoons.  North Little Rock merchants have been pushing for the expansion, which begins Sept. 1, insisting potential customers from Little Rock would come over to their side of the river if there was through service at all times.  However, because only two of CATA’s three replica Birney trolleys are normally in operation, there will be longer waits for car serving the full route.