TPH2

The only one I know of off the top of my head is the new Crust location at St. Clair and 30th, which I believe opened in June. I'm curious as to what else is over there now. It's been a few months since I've been over that way

Actually it was in the 1970s. But Georgetown fought having a Metro line run through their rather insular community. From Zachary Schrag's The Great Society Subway, "In fact, although Georgetown residents did oppose a transit station, their attitude was essentially irrelevant, for a Georgetown station was never seriously considered. While it would have been possible to build a subway line to Georgetown, it would have been difficult." Pg. 155

When the existing heavy rail system is so great!?! LMAO! WMATA is without question the worst run large system in the country. The only agency with a worse record is TAPS in north Texas. Really? How so? Yes the Metro has had a few horrific, fatal train accidents in recent years, but for the 2nd busiest rapid transit system in America unfortunately stuff happens. But I've always found Metro to be clean, fast, efficient and safe, at least in terms of their stations and trains from a crime aspect. And of course, it's extremely comprehensive even though it doesn't (yet) serve Georgetown (and there are historical reasons for that which were beyond WMATA's control). So I'm rather surprised by your comments. That said, I'm interested in riding the new DC streetcar system. It'll reach the previously under-served gentrifying areas of NE D.C. Quoted from the light rail/streetcar thread, but this conversation probably fits better in here. This is a great read from the Washingtonian about how WMATA got to where it is today: The Infuriating History of How Metro Got So Bad By Luke Mullins, Michael Gaynor | December 9, 2015 On January 8, Richard Sarles walked into his final board meeting as Metro’s general manager. It was a triumphant afternoon. During the hourlong sendoff, ten different board members extolled Sarles. One person played a video tribute to baseball star Derek Jeter and compared him to the retiring director. “You were both at your best,” the staffer said, “when times were tough and you were surrounded by those who doubted that the job could be done.” http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/capitalcomment/transportation/why-does-metro-suck-dangerous-accidents-escalator-outages.php

Arby's is officially open at the Langston at CSU. Nicest Arby's I've ever been to

It sounds like the state is reluctant to fork over any cash. I had been expecting that this would just happen without much of a fight. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson joins request for state cash for Public Square By Andrew J. Tobias, cleveland.com on December 08, 2015 at 5:26 PM, updated December 09, 2015 at 8:18 AM CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, joining a request from the local chamber of commerce and others, this week asked for $5 million in state funding to complete an ongoing renovation of Public Square. The funding, Jackson said, would help the $50 million project remain on track to be completed before Cleveland hosts the Republican National Convention in July 2016. http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2015/12/cleveland_mayor_frank_jackson_28.html

I don't mind if a private employer wants to do this, but I find it troubling when the government steps into these issues. Raising the age is one thing, but to try to ban flavored tobacco seems like an overreach to me.

^ As a former DC resident, I can echo ProkNo5[/member]'s sentiment, albeit not as harshly. Yes, the system is extensive, has good ridership, and is clean. To the infrequent user, it is great. However they were faced with years and years of maintenance neglect, so over the last few years or so they've had to do massive construction upgrades to the system, which has caused a lot of frustration for commuters. Beyond that though, there seems to have been a bit of incompetence from WMATA leadership over the last few years and their communication also left some to be desired. Also, the issue with Metro not going through Georgetown doesn't really have anything to do with residents fighting it because of fear of "undesirables." That seems to be a common urban legend. It had more to do with the expense of infrastructure digging through Georgetown and making sure it wouldn't flood being so close to the Potomac. Also, Metro was built as a suburb to city commuter system, and Georgetown was not rife with office jobs at the time, so it was never really on WMATA's radar.

^ I agree that I'd love to see a looping of the WFL along the eastern part of downtown, but I have serious doubts about it capturing the ridership that it would need. You could conceivably run it down near East 18th, but I still thank that is too far off of the main E 9th corridor to make it worthwhile. Plus it would require a lot of property acquisition. Don't get me wrong, I think one day we need to solve the downtown circulation problem, but I'm not sure that's the best plan to be spending any limited political capital (and real capital) on at this time (I'd never desecrate a grave, but if someone forced me to, I know whose I'd pick--Al Porter). This is an interesting convo, but might it be better continued here: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,30302.105.html ?

^ Union Station has a Red Line Metro stop on the western edge of the station. The streetcar ends on top of the H St bridge which goes over the station rail yard, so it does not directly connect with the station. DC originally wanted to cut the streetcar path under the bridge to allow to to enter closer to the station, but Amtrak wouldn't allow it. So now you would have to walk from the top of the bridge down quite a ways to get into the station. That will eventually change, but won't be for a while: http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/919/171/Washington-Union-Station-Master-Plan-201207.pdf Edit: I see you added another question. Union Station is great in that pretty much every mode of transit connects there: Metro, Amtrak, MARC, VRE, intercity buses (Megabus, Bolt, Greyhound, etc), taxis, Metro buses, DC Circulator buses, and bikeshare

Progressive Field renovation thread: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,29502.msg781802/topicseen.html#new

It's official, new scoreboard and sound system are a go for 2016. At 13,000 sq feet it will be the largest scoreboard display in MLB. http://tribevibe.mlblogs.com/2015/12/07/cleveland-indians-announce-new-scoreboard-for-2016-season-at-progressive-field/ http://media.trb.com/media/acrobat/2013-04/176488360-14165153.pdf

That's right. The streetcar will run down H St, NE and Benning Ave, NE, an area that does not have very good Metro access. I drew a red line on the map below to indicate the route of the streetcar and put red circles around the three closest Metro stations. I'll be curious to see what ridership is like after it finally opens (if it ever does!). It very much looks like a stub of a system right now, and I don't think it makes sense until it becomes part of a larger network that would extend down K St all the way to Georgetown. The connectivity to Union Station is also pretty poor at the moment.

DC's streetcar story is really an amazing saga (amazing in a bad way). It's too bad that the project has been so botched as the political appetite for expanding it into a comprehensive system has been dwindling. It has also become a poster child for the conservative think tanks in DC as to why building streetcars is a waste of money How D.C. spent $200 million over a decade on a streetcar you still can’t ride By Michael Laris December 5 The District is spending three or four times what other cities have to build a maintenance facility for its fledging streetcar system, a reflection of the flawed planning and execution that have dragged down the transit start-up for more than a decade. The “Car Barn” project was originally designed as a simple garage and rail yard for light repairs and storage, with some offices for staff. But it has ballooned in ambition and nearly tripled in cost — to $48.8 million. It will now include a number of pricey and unusual features, including grass tracks for parking the fleet of six streetcars and a cistern for washing them with rainwater. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/how-dc-spent-200-million-over-a-decade-on-a-streetcar-you-still-cant-ride/2015/12/05/3c8a51c6-8d48-11e5-acff-673ae92ddd2b_story.html

I don't really see the relevance of this comment

A Red Line extension to Euclid would have significant ridership benefits for the line. You can connect both downtown and University Circle, our two biggest employment centers, with northeast Cuyahoga Co and also Lake County. I'm not a huge advocate of the 'park and ride' concept, but with an extension, the Red Line be comes a much more attractive commuting option for people in those areas. And the right-of-way is pretty much there already. Also, it provides opportunities for significant redevelopment in the southern section of Euclid, which the city could desperately use.

A PD reporter other than Ewinger accompanied the photographer on that tour of Central Rail. The photo would seem to fit for a story about looming issues with RTA's rail fleet... And here we have it Until RTA can afford new rail fleet, it strips aging trains to keep others rolling: Michael K. McIntyre's Tipoff By Michael K. McIntyre on December 05, 2015 at 7:00 AM, updated December 05, 2015 at 7:05 AM The 74 active train cars in the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority's commuter rail fleet are survivors. Placed into service in the late 1970s, they've labored long past their 30-year life expectancy. They look remarkably good for their age. But beneath the skin, the stress is starting to show. http://www.cleveland.com/tipoff/index.ssf/2015/12/as_rta_struggles_to_fund_repla.html

So the PD's transportation coverage is basically just a regurgitation of RTA's press releases RTA seeks public comment on proposed route change By James Ewinger, The Plain Dealer on December 05, 2015 at 7:30 AM, updated December 05, 2015 at 11:57 AM CLEVELAND, Ohio – RTA wants public input on a proposal to replace two current bus routes, 21 and 45-45A, with a revised route 45. The transit authority is sounding out public opinion at the request of Ward 15 Cleveland Councilman Matt Zone. Public hearings will be 4-5 p.m. and 6-7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10, at Max Hayes High School, 2211 West 65th Street. www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2015/12/rta_seeks_public_comment_on_pr.html

Channel 19 and NJ.com both ran the story

Somewhere in Michigan. The picture was posted on Reddit a few days ago: I suppose this is where we should say, let's get back on topic..?

I'm sure someone once said the same thing about a project on the other side of Tremont.

^ Meh

City design review committee tables FirstEnergy request to demolish Lake Shore power plant By Steven Litt, The Plain Dealer on December 03, 2015 at 11:24 AM, updated December 03, 2015 at 11:25 AM CLEVELAND, Ohio –The City's Downtown/Flats Design Review Committee quickly and unanimously tabled a request by FirstEnergy seeking approval to demolish its Lake Shore power plant just west of East 72nd Street. Leo Slansky, senior project manager of Independence Demolition, the contracting firm representing the project at the meeting, said FirstEnergy wanted to move quickly because portions of the brick façade of the massive and architecturally impressive power plant are peeling away from the underlying steel framing. http://www.cleveland.com/architecture/index.ssf/2015/12/city_committee_tables_request.html

Here's Litt's write up about the project. Fills in some of the blanks 'Rock Box' public art project aims to link the Rock Hall - and rock music - to downtown By Steven Litt, The Plain Dealer on December 03, 2015 at 9:30 AM, updated December 03, 2015 at 9:32 AM CLEVELAND, Ohio – The sound of rock and roll is coming to East Ninth Street. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and Destination Cleveland are planning to create a seven-piece, rock-themed sculpture and sound installation along the downtown business spine in time for the Republican National Convention in 2016. http://www.cleveland.com/arts/index.ssf/2015/12/rock_box_public_art_project_ai.html

Small bit of news: The Republican Party of Cuyahoga County will be moving their offices from the Tower City Post Office Plaza to the Halle Building

This is the first I've heard of this CLE Clothing Co. to Launch Uptown Location on Saturday We Clevelanders are known for wearing our pride on our sleeves, and we mean that literally. Now, east siders won't have quite so far to travel to get their local apparel fix. CLE Clothing Co. announced today on several social media outlets that a brand new uptown location is set to open on Saturday at 11435 Euclid Avenue, just down the street from MOCA: http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2015/12/02/cle-clothing-co-to-launch-uptown-location-on-saturday