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10/29/2020 12:00 AMDespite decreased ridership due to the COVID-19 pandemic the organizers of the Clinton trolley said the 2020 summer was a successful one and that the trolley should be back in 2021.
For the second year, the free trolley service ran on weekends from June to September thanks to the combined efforts of the Placemakers, the Clinton Chamber of Commerce, and the Economic Development Commission (EDC).
Recently, Clinton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Paul Orsini provided an update on how the 2020 summer season went.
After initial uncertainty about if it would run this year, the trolley ran albeit with modifications to help stem the spread of the coronavirus. Masks were required and the trolley was limited to 18 passengers maximum using staggered seating to maintain social distancing. The driver area was blocked off and the vehicle was disinfected every day.
This year the trolley stopped at the Clinton Crossing Outlets near the Henry Carter Hull Library, the marina and town dock area, the train station, and on Main Street near Liberty Green, the Stop & Shop Plaza, the town’s eastern border with Westbrook, and at Safe Harbor Pilot’s Point Marina in Westbrook.
“All in all, it was a success from the point of view that the trolley ran people are aware of it,” said Orsini.
Part of he reason for the creation of the trolley service in 2019 was to increase visitors to Clinton and to showcase what the town has to offer to people who visit the outlets but nowhere else.
“Obviously rides were down from the prior year. We had a couple bad weather days,” Orsini said, and noted that resaurant hours also had an effect.
Due to the pandemic many restaurants closed earlier in the night than usual when the trolley was still running, which hampered the ability of riders to get off the trolley and enjoy the restaurants. Orsini said that on weekends when the restaurants had longer hours, there were better results.
Despite the decrease in riders, Orsini said there was a noticeable positive.
“It was the marinas that got the most use out of it,” Orsini said.
Increasing usage among the marina patrons had been a goal going into the season. The Clinton and Westbrook marinas are popular boating destinations for visiting boaters who opt stay overnight. By offering a free ride to Clinton’s retail and restaurant hubs, the organizers were hopeful that boaters would spend their time and money in Clinton’s businesses so an effort was made to let boaters know about the trolley service this summer.
No town funds are used to operate the trolley, instead donations are solicited from businesses to cover the operating cost. The trolley is stored and operated by 9 Town Transit. Orsini said the plan is to bring the trolley back in 2021.
“We want to review the route to try and bring more of Route One into it,” said Orsini.