By Daniel Ritz
At the Jan. 16 Dana Point City Council meeting, Dana Point Director of Public Works/City Engineer Matt Sinacori presented two possible routes for the 2018 city of Dana Point trolley program. The trolley concluded the 2017 season with its highest passenger ridership count to date.
Both routes expand the existing service route to include additional locations inland such as Dana Hills High School, Pines Park and a proposed stop on Camino De Estrella connecting the Dana Point Trolley Program with the City of San Clemente’s trolley.
“We’ve extended further south, and we are hoping that San Clemente is able to meet us halfway,” Sinacori said during his City Council presentation.
Other key changes are stops inside Doheny State Beach being moved to allow for a more regional stop on Pacific Coast Highway at the Dana Point pedestrian bridge and a new linear part to avoid substantial potential delays in entering/exiting Doheny State Beach.
Mayor Pro Tem Muller voiced concern with the potential for northbound traffic on Interstate 5 between Camino De Estrella and Beach Cities exits. Mayor Viczorek voiced similar concerns, as well as the distance necessary for citizens in the Capistrano Beach area who would have to circle a majority of the approximately 1 hour and 5-minute loop in order to arrive at key downtown locations.
“Isn’t that the point? To enable people to visit our downtown and the Harbor?” Viczorek said, proposing research into a possible route reversal or redundancy in the Capistrano Beach/south Dana Point area in order to avoid this delay.
Sinacori and city staff will take this feedback into consideration before presenting a formal proposal to City Council for adoption for the 2018 season. To see the full presentation and proposed routes, visit www.danapoint.org.
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