Along the Way: Polly the Trolley coming to Portage historic downtowns

Dec 10, 2023

The architecturally late 19th and early 20th century downtowns of Kent and Ravenna and the nostalgic feel they offer will soon be complemented by a pilot project to launch the first of three new trolley buses, innovations about to be introduced by PARTA, the Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority.

Claudia Amrhein, general manager and CEO of PARTA, speaking to Kent Rotarians last Tuesday, described the new trolley streetcars, each dubbed Polly the Trolley, as a fleet of transit vehicles that adhere to the rigor of modern standards, but incorporate the look of the early 20th century, a time when streetcars on rails connected downtowns throughout Northeast Ohio when automobiles were prohibitively expensive and mass transit was a practical necessity.

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Amrhein said the first of seven trolleys is currently being built by Hometown Manufacturing in Crandon, Wisconsin. It and two more trolleys are scheduled for delivery this year. Four more will join the PARTA fleet next year.

The trolleys, she said, will have a historically authentic look and the feel of the earlier streetcar era and yet benefit from modern improvements: air-conditioning, ADA compliance and easy access, as well as modern propulsion systems that provide the environmentally green alternatives of compressed natural gas, hybrid electric or clean diesel.

The trolley interiors, reflecting earlier times, will have handcrafted wooden seating and paneling along the walls and ceilings with removable window panels that offer open air riding in nice weather.

The nostalgic looking trolleys initially will operate on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings along a Downtowner Route, a pilot project and rebranding of PARTA's existing Suburban 40 and 45 fixed routes to connect entertainment venues around Kent. As more trolleys arrive, they will operate along other regular fixed routes, such as the Interurban route that has historically run through Ravenna to Kent and Stow.

Rider fares will be innovative and affordable also, equal to the fare charged to ride other fixed routes. An all-day pass will cost $2 and a one-way trip $1. Those who use the Kent Central Gateway can turn in their parking voucher to receive one free all-day Polly the Trolley pass.

Predictably, downtown stores and services are responding favorably to the introduction of the charming, historical-looking trolleys. "They say it will add to the downtown experience," Amrhein said.

"PARTA is excited to be able to introduce the nostalgic charm of trolley buses that evoke memories of days gone by as we all work to restore healthy economies and vital communities," she said. "Trolleys are fun and attract people to local venues."

The Federal Transit Administration awarded PARTA grant funding to support 80 percent of the $625,000 cost for each new hand-built trolley, slightly more than a traditional transit bus. They are built to last a minimum of 12 years, which Amrhein says, is the depreciation schedule PARTA vehicles operate on.

PARTA, funded by a one-quarter of a percent sales and use tax, federal and state transportation grants, revenue service grants, and rider fees, was organized in 1975 as an Ohio regional transit authority. In addition to fixed bus route service, PARTA provides on-call, scheduled transportation throughout Portage County helping people commute to work or reach essential destinations, such as dialysis treatments, medical services, community activities, and grocery stores. Its operating budget this year is approximately $10 million.

PARTA in 2009, working with the city of Kent, Kent State University and the offices of U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, obtained a $20 million TIGER grant that with a $4 million grant from the city enabled the construction of the multi-storied parking deck, the Kent Central Gateway that has been key to downtown Kent's revival.

David E. Dix is a former publisher of the Record-Courier.