The Loop Trolley Company has hired an executive director, but the spring opening of the streetcar has been pushed to summer.

It had been slated to open in 2016; that date was pushed back to this spring. Now an early summer opening is expected, although there’s no specific date yet because the trolley is early into its testing phase.

Refurbishing of the trolley cars resulted in some delays initiating testing on the vehicles , according to a statement from the trolley company. Testing on the first two trolley cars is underway.

Kevin Barbeau, who led the Old Town Merchants and Residents Association in Chicago, has been hired as the executive director of the Loop Trolley Company.

The Loop Trolley district owns the trolley; the Loop Trolley Company is a separate entity and is a nonprofit organization that will operate the trolley.

Barbeau will be responsible for overseeing the organization’s administration, programs and strategic plan, the company said Thursday. He also will be in charge of fundraising, marketing and community outreach.

Construction on the 2.2-mile electric trolley line between University City and Forest Park began in earnest in the spring of 2015. In the Loop, the $51 million trolley will share Delmar Boulevard with cars, similar to a bus, pulling out of traffic at designated stops.

The trolley will run on a single track in the center median east of the Pageant on Delmar and will head south onto DeBaliviere, continuing on a single track on the east side within a new greenway. It will stop and reverse direction at the Missouri History Museum.

Barbeau’s position in Chicago included public outreach, marketing, fundraising and business development for the district. He also served as program manager of the Special Service Area 48 Old Town, a taxing district established to fund community improvement services, according to the Loop Trolley Company.

And he was the communications manager for the Laclede’s Landing Merchants Association.

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