Issaquah council approves $25,000 to restart historic downtown trolley and authorizes track-use agreement

The Issaquah City Council voted to authorize a $25,000 amendment and a track-use agreement to support the Issaquah History Museums' effort to restart the downtown trolley for the 2026 season.

The amendment provides $20,000 up front for startup readiness and an additional $5,000 upon launch. The council also approved a track-use agreement that formalizes safety requirements, testing protocols, insurance and liability coverage, and operational schedules for trolley service along the city-owned corridor. Councilmembers approved the measure as amended after adopting language to allow the city to terminate the track-use agreement without cause if the museum's lease terminates.

Councilmembers and staff said the funding and the agreement are intended to reduce operational risk while giving the museum a predictable runway to complete repairs, testing, and volunteer training. "This funding is the green light for our restart," Paul Weinstein, executive director of the Issaquah History Museums, told the council, saying the money would allow the museum to hire a program manager and finish safety testing before passengers ride.

City staff outlined how the funding would be disbursed and the agreement enforced. Alexis Fitzsimmons, the city's economic development and housing manager, said the amendments and track-use agreement set clear responsibilities for maintenance, insurance, and operations and that without council approval the trolley could be delayed or not run this season. The administration and museum set a provisional target of early July for beginning service if all testing and insurance requirements are met.

Council debate focused on the length of the track-use term and city control of the right of way. City Attorney Rachel Bender Turpin explained the longer initial term included in negotiation sought to give the museum time to fundraise and operationalize the program, but council adopted a specific amendment to ensure the track-use agreement would terminate if the museum's lease ended. Councilmember Walsh said she was concerned about granting multi-year exclusive use of the right of way without proof of long-term viability; her was the lone nay on the termination-language amendment, which passed 5 to 1. The full, as-amended motion was later approved and announced as passed unanimously.

The council directed staff to finalize the agreements and execute the funding amendment; if executed, the museum plans to complete testing and training before inviting passengers on board. The approved funding covers start-up readiness, staff training, equipment repairs and maintenance, and insurance and operational costs.