Cleburger

The traffic pattern will remain unaltered upon completion, save for the bus only rush hour lane. As a resident and frequent user during rush hour, I can testify to the fact that the outer lane is not used much anyway, because drivers don't want to get stuck behind buses. With the new signal timing things should actually improve. The only concern may be the timing with the innerbelt bridge still being completed. Clifton sees quite a bit of detouring traffic from 90 right now.

My impression is that the aprons and curb are a part of the financing, while the sidewalks would be done after as an assessed improvement. I would write to the Councilman and suggest that why don't we just get this all done at once? May even save money by having the same contractors, who are already on site, pour new sidewalks while there is already a mess.

I was there as well. Not too many complaints about the lack of left turns at median points, but enough to note. I find it funny that the people complaining about them seem to fear change. They certainly aren't stockbrokers, lawyers or neurosurgeons who could maybe argue that the extra 30 seconds to make a Uturn or alter their approach is costing them money. My other favorite commenter of the night was a nice little lady worried about the snow plows piling up snow in her yard. Uhhhhh....they do that already. And having a median in spots is going to actually lower the volume of snow coming your way. :) There were also some complaints about the bus-only lane during rush hours. Other than this the traffic patterns will remain mostly unchanged. If anything I'd like to tell the dissenters is: this could be temporary. It's not like we are installing a permanent indestructible bus lane. It's a paint stripe. If after a year we all decide the bus-only lane is a dismal failure, it's just a matter of returning the lane to its current condition (parking all day except during designated rush hours). I personally think Lakewood is going to be jealous of this once it is installed. Cleveland will be calmed, and Lakewood will continue to have the 7 lane freeway, broken up by lots of school zones.

Anyone else getting an error about "service request not allowed?" I am running Firefox 16.0.2 When I click on "fix it yourself" it tells me something to the effect that there are missing or corrupt cookies. Once I clear the history everything works fine again. Not a big deal, but surely an annoyance.

Wouldn't this have been a candidate for Stimulus funds? Or was it not shovel-ready enough to qualify? Where was Dennis! and Fudge? The fact that this is even a possibility, that jobs would be lost and the mills closed should the bank collapse, should be enough to send our city and county leaders marching on Columbus and Washington. But like the Innerbelt bridge, they'll probably wait until it whacks them over the head.

I don't recall seeing the 2 trip pass, but didn't spend much time on my knees in front of the machine deciding. I just thought buying an extra pass would cover me. Turns out I just donated 2 bucks to RTA.

While I'm no expert on this subject, I think aggressive enforcement of housing code could do wonders. From what I've seen over the years when a neighborhood gets "hot" there is some housing rehab, but more often than not the owners of a falling down shack suddenly want $200,000 for their house. Enforcing the housing code evenly and firmly would open up more housing to rehab (or cause existing owners to invest in their properties), resulting in more desirable units in these neighborhoods. Without it we are left with small "pockets" of desirable locations, with no neighborhood connection.

I don't remember them being offered at the Red Line station at West Blvd. There certainly was no warning that fares expire 1 hour after purchase. I would think there has to be a way to get my money back?

On a related note, I was surprised to find out that RTA fare cards are only good for 1 hour. I guess I should have known this? I took the Red Line to the Cavs game the other day and thought I'd save myself a step by getting down on my hands and knees ;) and paying for the return trip fare card at the same time as the departure. I was surprised with this card was no longer valid later. Another instance where patrons could stock up on cards and use them when needed, rather than crowding the kneeling POS machines or drivers.

Because you aren't working at the airport every day and you have choices. Many of the folks who work at the airport don't have cars or they share one car with more than one working-age person in their household. I encourage you to think beyond your own needs. RTA's cost per hour of service is $133.60 (in 2011 dollars). If you're running the Red Line AND an airport bus service on 15-minute headways to downtown, that's a lot of extra hours of service for only 1,000 riders or so per day. Perhaps RTA considered running the shuttle buses only around shift changes at the airport because the rest of the service isn't as necessary. But since they're running only between Hopkins and the Brookpark station, RTA folks probably felt that was an expense worth adding despite the limited number of discretionary riders. I have no problems with RTA running the shuttle as they are going to during time the tunnel is down. It actually makes a certain amount of sense for those who use the rapid regularly and can adjust their schedules to deal with the delay despite the inconvenicne. That is life and we all have to do what we have to do (look at what the commuters in New York are dealing with now). My point from the start was simply that many people (business travelers) are not going to want to deal with the delay and having to transfer twice and lug luggage up more stairs and wait in Brookpark station after first waiting for the shuttle at the airport. That was why I asked if any thought was given to an express shuttle from the airport to downtown for those people who don't use the red line for other stops so RTA does not lose those riders during this period to cabs and the like. SO IN THIS VEIN I AM LOOKING BEYOUND MY OWN PERSONAL NEEDS. I am hoping that RTA is not going to lose customers due to this. If the cost is prohibitive and does not make sense (not enough riders) then they of course they should not consider it. I can pretty much guarantee you that in the next six months I am not going to be taking the Red Line to the airport so I am not worried about it for my own sake. If I WAS, I would take a cab rather than experience the longer ride the shuttle will result in. I take the Red Line to the airport all the time for trips. While not scientific, I'd surmise that most "business" travelers are actually Cleveland based rather than out-of-towners. The rest of the riders are usually airport employees. I don't think the ridership will suffer tremendously because of this invconvenience. As noted above, we could have worse problems! I was supposed to go to New York this week for business via JFK and am currently questioning whether I should attempt or not!

Nation's first downtown casino? What about Detroit, New Orleans, St Louis etc....?

Why leave out names? Aren't they considered public employees/servants. They are responsible for general urban planning that affects local residents. Why hide? Its pretty easy to look up and find yourself. Not everyone here is in the position to be naming names. Yeah and considering only a couple people work there it's not too tough! I have been an outspoken critic of them since moving into the neighborhood. No offense but we need new fresh leadership. Not someone that takes their check every year to promote the Clifton Arts and Music Fest (lame) and spinning snowmen on the sides of three buildings during Christmas. There is so much more they should be doing and fall back on the things they know. Year after year after year.

Cudell does have a Facebook page. We can sound off there. https://www.facebook.com/groups/152391705199/?ref=ts&fref=ts But, I'll warn you in the past I've seen comments they see counter to their beliefs get deleted. They don't understand social media. There is always the good old-fashioned telephone also: 216-228-4383. And where does Jay Westbrook stand on this issue?

If CDC is involved it will be a strip mall. No offense to them and I will leave out names, but they are so backward in their thinking it might as well be 1973. And the neighborhood design review will spend more time hassling homeowners over the proper windows or siding color than deciding on this crucial development for the neighborhood. It will be a rubber-stamping for a developer. I'd love to see a little Crocker-park style development on that site with street level retail, office and residential above with hidden parking around the back. But we might as well resign ourselves to a Walgreens. No imagination. :x

Much of that distance would be connected via an enclosed walkway if the port authority levy passes next week. If the levy doesn't pass, then that leaves the connector $20 million short. Conventioneers aren't big on walking. You're still not selling me on it. They spend enough time walking the show floor--the last thing they want to do is walk a few blocks to get to another part of the show. If there was a direct connection, and I mean DI-RECT, I'd say maybe.

A few thoughts on this: 1. Our convention center would not be directly connected to the CBS. To even gain accessibility, it would take quite the construction feat. 2. Indianapolis is the capitol city and tends to attract some the events you mention due to its center of the government status. 3. If you look at the Lucas Oil Stadium calendar, many are smaller events that are probably getting access to the field etc as a perk, but they are not renting them the space. CBS already does a great job of this renting their suite level restaruant spaces year round.

This would certainly be interesting should it come to life in some form... Winners of Cleveland Design Competition advocate big changes for lower level of the Detroit-Superior Bridge Emerging architects and designers from around the world see big possibilities for civic renewal on the vacant lower level of the Detroit-Superior Bridge. They’d connect it to staircases that would reach up through the soaring arch in the bridge’s central span to create viewing platforms high over the Cuyahoga River. They’d fill the bridge’s lower level with cafes and kiosks, art galleries, sporting venues, farmer’s markets, libraries or restaurants. And they’d build a Ferris wheel next to it. Those are some of the ideas suggested in the 2012 Cleveland Design Competition, which attracted 164 entries from more than 20 countries around the world. Entire story: http://blog.cleveland.com/architecture/2012/10/winners_of_cleveland_design_co.html#incart_river_default

One word. Livability. KJP and some others have mentioned reducing the freight traffic and the eventual removal of the Main Ave Bridge. All this would tie together to expand the green space and attract residents. I don't disagree with TOD or beautifying Detroit Ave, but they won't increase the livability of the area. You don't see young people flocking to live along Euclid Ave (at least between E 30th and E 105). In a perfect world we'd do both. But we all know Cleveland is far from a perfect world.

What is on the very top floors? At night it looks like incandescent lighting rather than fluorescent. More lounge-looking than office. :?

It most definitely will. Lots of people using West Blvd to cut from 90 to the Shoreway. Once the Innerbelt is done the reduction in traffic should be very noticeable, which further supports the argument to reduce it to a boulevard and get rid of the freeway section.

I have noticed more and more bicycles on Clifton over the last year or two. Not complaining at all! :clap:

Having worked with Jay Z, Lil Wayne and Drake I respectfully disagree with your stadium projections, but to each his own. All solid arena/shed acts. Stadiums, maybe in New York (with Jay Z on the bill). That's about it. That's why promoters take risk. Or at least used to.... Before the moderators club us, we can leave this to another day.

Sorry I just don't buy this argument. Slowing the 31,000 cars a day down by 15 mph is not going to affect a region. Adding light rail to the west side will. Crocker park would be ambitious. Oh how the Crockerhipsters living there would howl if they knew there was direct rail access for the real urbanites to come to their little hamlet. But light rail to Rocky River and Bay may be conceivable.

Urban is absolutely a correct and accepted term in our industry. Glad to meet you involvewithCLE. And your assessment above is accurate. It would take a mega package as you lay out to fill Browns stadium. Even then, look at the one you mentioned. It takes a radio partner like Hot 97 in NYC to fill a stadium. WZAK is no longer a player on that level I'm afraid. Gone the way of other Cleveland radio when sold off to corporate interests. With this being said, I would think the urban market in Cleveland would be much happier in the comfortable confines of the Q anyway. Great spot for a dressed up night out and finish it off at the casino.

If you're talking straight urban then yes, I would never consider outdoors. The urban crowd does their hair, wears heels and comes dressed to the 9's. But honestly, I don't know any urban artists that could pull off a stadium show. Maybe as a package? And that's still a stretch. In fact, in the history of the genre I can't think of any pure urban artist that could pull off a stadium show. There were plenty of crossover groups. The Jacksons, sure. Prince? In his heyday. Lionel Ritchie? Maybe in Europe ;) JayZ had to bring in help from Detroit (and vice versa) for his date in Yankee Stadium. Allow me to quote Snoop "back to the lecture at hand...." A roof on CBS is not game changing in the concert world. I'd be more concerned with NCAA and Superbowls, and the corporate-backed concerts that come come with them.