McKinney trolley service to run normal schedule this weekend
With Hook 'em Horns and Boomer Sooner fans in Dallas for the big game this weekend, it will be busy in the city's entertainment districts including Uptown.
There was some confusion about whether the trolley service would be running late at night because of heavy traffic concerns. After some back and forth, the trolley service on McKinney Avenue will run on its usual schedule all weekend.
Bars and restaurants are ready for the Texas vs. OU weekend. McKinney Avenue, especially the stretch between Routh and Allen streets, is packed late night most weekends. This weekend will be no different.
The McKinney Avenue Transit Authority announced on Friday it would end the m-line trolley service early at the request of Dallas police, which wanted to make more room on McKinney Avenue for cars. But that decision was quickly reversed.
“The trolley is the most efficient and safe way to carry people through the area,” said Councilman Philip Kingston. “If anything, I think what we want to do is increase the number of people that are on that trolley rather than drive cars into the area.”
Kingston says he was surprised to see the first announcement and began asking questions.
“That idea was just one that didn't get quite fully baked,” he said. “And so we're going to not do that. We're going to run the trolley on its regular schedule and keep moving people as safely and as quickly as we can.”
“Having a public transportation system that does run essentially through the heart of a lot of bars and nightlife in the area, it's definitely important for our services to be able to get there and get people there safely,” Kennedy Cantrell, Business Director for McKinney Avenue Transit Authority.
The nonprofit that runs the m-line trolley says it got the okay from Dallas police to keep the trolley service running its regular hours to midnight on Friday and Saturday, giving fans another option on their commute to celebrate.
As many as 8,000 people are expected to ride the m-line trolley this weekend. Extra police and privately-hired security will be in the area.