Downtown Toms River now has a free trolley service.
The party may have been canceled, but the trolley will still be rolling. Looking at a forecast for thunderstorms, organizers to a kick-off party to coincide with the arrival of a downtown trolley service decided to cancel the festivities June 2.
However, you can still hitch a ride on one of the first jaunts around downtown in the new trolley service. The route will be running all day.
The free-to-ride downtown trolley launched May 26 as a way to create excitement around downtown Toms River as well as allow visitors to travel between destinations.
The trolley service will run daily through Labor Day. The route for the trolley so far will take passengers to the riverfront by Water Street Grille, head up East Water Street to Hooper Avenue and loop around near the Historical Society. The trolley has stops along Washington Street at the library/town hall area, at the Kohl’s Plaza, at Toms River bus depot and the Irons Street parking lot, for seven stops along the route. The trolley travels down Washington Street, Water Street, Main Street, through the Kohl’s Plaza parking lot, Irons Street and Highland Parkway.
Downtown Toms River Business Improvement District, the organizer to the trolley service, announced that temporary signage will be in place as the route is tested for efficiency, and “riders are permitted to request to deboard the trolley along its route where it is safe and legal to do so.”
Passengers can hop on the trolley during 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends.
Want to know where the trolley is on its route? Well, the driver has a hands-free device so riders can call to find out where the trolley is: call 609-846-4064.
The trolley is sponsored with the help of Apex United Corporation, Ray Catena Dealership, Family First Funding, New Jersey Natural Gas, Lester Glenn Auto Group, Michael J. Wright Construction, RC Shea and Associates Counsellors at Law, Gluck Allen Attorneys at Law, Toms River Seaport Society and Maritime Museum, First Energy Foundation and the Toms River Parking Authority – most of whom have small ads on the trolley itself.
The kickoff party was to be held at Huddy Park June 2, but organizers cancelled due to a forecast of thunderstorms. Originally, student musicians from downtown’s Music Academy plus Katfish Lucy were to perform, with specialty vendors and a beer and wine garden run by Toms River Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1 – though it may be postponed for another yet-to-be-determined date.
For updates on the trolley program, visit downtowntomsriver.com.
Current route of the downtown Toms River trolley.
