I was raised on Colorado Avenue in a home close to the railroad tracks. Every time the train roared by it would rattle our house and that sound was an essential part of my childhood. When the light rail San Diego Trolley was first introduced in 1981, my parents were thrilled because it was so quiet.
This Saturday, MTS is celebrating 40 years of Trolley’s service with a free community event at the E Street Station. As we mark this milestone, it’s important to note the tremendous impact the Trolley has had on Chula Vista and the South Bay as a whole. We use it to get to work, school and college, and when we want to catch a Padres game or a concert in downtown San Diego.
The Trolley has been a reliable source of transport for many of us. It’s helped our essential workers get to their shifts at hospitals, grocery stores, and restaurants. And as an all-electric system it has helped boost the economy while reducing our region’s carbon footprint.
In fact, for every dollar the public invests in MTS, the public receives $2.82 back in the form of jobs, infrastructure investment, productivity gains, environmental benefits and money saved by riders.
The Trolley helped me early in my professional career. My office was in downtown San Diego so I would get off at the C Street station. It was convenient, more cost-effective than parking downtown and a much more enjoyable way to start the day than sitting in traffic.
The Trolley is also a great way for South Bay residents to attend concerts, special events like Comic-Con and Padres games.
I take the Trolley any time I want to go to Petco Park because it’s the most fun way to get there. You’re riding with a bunch of happy people excited to go to a ball game, and celebrating on the ride home when the Padres do well. I’ve also used it to get to concerts in the city. It’s so convenient to leave your car in a free parking lot, hop on the Trolley and get to where you need to go.
And the experiences I’ve had with the Trolley go beyond just commuting. You meet great people and hear interesting stories.
For example, a few years ago, one of my cousins was happily surprised to discover she was the one millionth rider, and MTS honored the milestone by giving her a free pass for a whole year. I’ve also heard from Chula Vista college students who are eagerly anticipating the launch of the expanded Blue Line Trolley that will take them straight to the University of California San Diego without transfers.
Holding the 40th anniversary celebration at the E Street Trolley Station is very appropriate as the Blue Line succeeded largely due to Chula Vistans who began riding regularly as soon as the service was launched.
The red Trolley cars are an iconic part of our landscape. Many children are fascinated with riding Trolleys and my own grandchildren frequently ask to ride. I hope to see the return of Trolley stop performances which were hugely popular in years past, when we had singers and dancers from the San Diego Opera hop off the Trolley and do spot performances at stops. I remember the awe felt by people watching it and being able to see the performers up close.
My connection to the Trolley is personal and I am happy to note that as we celebrate its 40th anniversary, MTS has made many improvements over the years that continue to enhance the convenient, pleasant experience for riders. Today’s low-floor design makes it easy for riders to get on board and saves time getting on and off.
When MTS transitions to the PRONTO ticketing system in September it’s going to be a game changer, with ease of use and automatic “best fare” pricing for all riders.
The next goal I’m working on is railway grade separation, which will increase road safety by providing a separate crossover for cars around Trolley tracks at busy intersections.
When Chula Vista was master planned, the Trolley and public transit were an essential part of the vision. We were forward thinking in placing importance on it when we put together our CO2 reduction plan in 1998 and our climate action plan in 2000.
We are now in the middle of a climate crisis. We see it play out in real time with wildfires that rage for months and long droughts that threaten our water supply. It is essential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles, and the all-electric Trolley plays a critical role in moving us toward our climate goals.
We need to continue to build on clean public transportation.
My dream is to see the Trolley run 24/7 to provide additional convenience for third-shift workers. It’s really important to help move our workers to and from their jobs. The future of the Trolley continues to be bright as we build out our system for another 40 years.
Mary Casillas Salas is the Mayor of Chula Vista. She was born and raised in Chula Vista.
