Yakima Trolleys Hoping for Money in 2015 Budget

When the Yakima City Council considers approving the city's 2015 budget, Yakima Trolleys will be waiting to see if its funding request is met.

Executive Director Karl Pasten says a recent assessment of the system by a light-rail consultant found the system could use a major investment.

We asked him to come up with a number to totally rebuild the system and he told us $13 million.

Pasten says the trolleys are now in operation and do not need that kind of investment to continue, so he says they have decided to ask the city for $1.3 million to repair tracks and trolley cars, open the trolley museum during the week and operate the system in 2015.

Trolleys are running Santa trolleys during the next two weekends. The system's headquarters is at 306 W. Pine St. in Yakima.