Claremont Insider: Desert Trolley News

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Desert Trolley News

Trolleys have become the latest urban planner fad. Some trolley company representative must be making the rounds at League of California Cities conferences.

Claremont's trolley-folly begins in October, and now news comes to us of a proposal in Indio to include a trolley at Indio's Polo Square mixed-use development.

The Desert Sun reported on the Polo Square trolley:

Polo Square, the city's flagship project on Highway 111, will include an electric trolley system that will weave through the more than 50-acre, mixed use project.

Hailed by some as a unique feature for retail projects, the anticipated trolley system will not only ease traffic congestion, but serve as an attraction as well.

“It looks like the old double-decker buses in England,” said Janet Cook, executive director of the Indio Chamber of Commerce. “I think people will come to Polo Square to ride them.”

The project is at the corner of Shields Road and Highway 111 in what is considered one of the gateways to Indio.

The high-rise project has been marketed as a “city within a city” and may eventually include about 500 dwelling units in vertical condo buildings, two hotels, various retail boutiques, a department stores, high-end supermarket and subterranean parking.

It is estimated to cost about $850 million and is scheduled for completion in 2012.