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Ashland considers trolley-like tours Great Escapes of Phoenix wants to run scheduled trips through historic business districts, residential areas and parks By TONY BOOM ASHLAND - Tourists may soon be able to take a San Francisco cable car-styled trolley through historic business districts, residential areas and parks in town. Phoenix-based Great Escapes Trolleys has applied for a permit to run four tours per day Wednesdays through Sundays. Traffic Safety commissioners voted in April to have the operator refine the proposal to show final routes, and to seek input from the city administrator and chief of police. "I thought it was appropriate as far as it went," said Commissioner David Dotterer. "It was kind of a rushed deal. What we essentially did was called a time out." The City Council will hear a more detailed proposal and offer input at its meeting Tuesday at 7 p.m. Public comment could be made at the council session. Traffic safety commissioners will take up the issue again at their meeting Thursday at 7 p.m. The commission will give final approval on the tours. "We want to make it a positive icon in the valley, just like Shakespeare," said Great Escapes partner Chris Henry. "We wouldn't have started this had we not had overwhelming positive support." The 31-foot trolley can accommodate 34 passengers. Drivers would give a narrative on the tours. Passengers would board and get off in front of the Ashland Springs Hotel. Historic tours would go through Lithia Park. They would cover parts of Siskiyou Boulevard, Lithia Way, Mountain Avenue and the railroad district. The 45-minute tours would leave at 9 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Another tour would go on Siskiyou, Mountain, Nevada Street, Eagle Mill Road, Oak Street and into Lithia Park. It would leave at 10 a.m. "The trolley is going through residential areas," said Commissioner Patti Bussee. "The people who live there should at least know about it." A loud speaker system on the trolley will be turned off when it goes through residential neighborhoods, said Henry. Visitors will refer to a printed guide for those parts of the tour. Both Busse and Dotterer have reservations about including the Railroad District's A Street in the route. "To me, A Street has got to be totally off the route," said Busse. "It's too narrow." Busse expressed concerns about the trolley going through Lithia Park and interfering with people attending matinees at Oregon Shakespeare Festival. "A couple people said it would feel like Disneyland," said Busse. "As long as it meets the standards for motor vehicles and any other rules and regulations, we have absolutely no problem with it," said police Chief Scott Fleuter. A farm and wine tour of surrounding areas may also originate in town at 11 a.m. The tour would go out Oak Street to Paschal Winery on Suncrest Road east of Talent, then visit Rising Sun Farms between Talent and Phoenix. Henry's partner, Elizabeth Fugas, owns the farm. In-town tours would cost $8.95. Farm and wine tours would be $24.95. Tours would run from June 1 through Oct. 31. A reduced schedule would be offered after that date. Invited guests were given a preview of the routes on Saturday. Reach Ashland bureau reporter Tony Boom at 482-4651, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.