JMasek

Carl Monday acted on a tip from an informant. If the informant was really interested in the public good, he could have reported it to us. Carl Monday shot the footage in May, and he told us in late October. Draw your own conclusions. There was oversight and testing at many different levels, and all professional engineering and testing standards were met. The Plain Dealer and Sun Newspapers both monitor Urban Ohio. We are dealing with this issue as quickly and logically as possbile. Allegations were made. First, you collect facts to determine if the allegations are correct, and then you determine a course of action, based on those facts. It is not in anyone's best interests to declare a course of action before the facts are known. We have not even seen the whole report yet -- RTA's response will be aired on the 11 p.m. news today. I can fully appreciate these emotional posts, but a "rush to judgement" is the last thing anyone needs right now.

We are testing the concrete, and will take action based on the results of those tests. No agency responds to "What if" questions.

From Project Officer Danielle Willis: It's called Osmosis by Murase Studio from Portland Oregon. This landscape architecture connects many themes including Doan's Brook; universal forms (the circle) that is contrasting in materials with morphed spheres as they emerge from the earth. Some materials will be neatly fitted and others in an upright position forming a serpentine stone wall. The artist wants to represent a crossroad of thoughts and critical thinking that affects the lives outside the circle on a daily basis. The cairn on the Severance Hall side seems to evoke various interpretations from people passing by. At first, some people thought it was a wishing well as it was only partially built. Others have asked if it was a beehive or honeycomb. There certainly is a resemblance. I suppose it could be interpreted as that but the circular cairn is just a stone marker in the landscape. It's actually an ancient and universal form found in many places in the world. There are stupas found in the East with a similar form with cosmological interpretations. but here in this context it can also be related to the curvatures of the dome structures and windows of the nearby churches. I suppose the many interpretations people have is what an abstract piece allows for. It simply is just an landscape art form.

checking

A link to Litt's review of the project... www.cleveland.com/entertainment/plaindealer/steven_litt/index.ssf?/base/entertainment-0/122613662876861.xml&coll=2

TV-19 is airing a story at 11 p.m tonight. Promos began airing Thursday during the Browns game. Joe Calabrese sent this response out Friday to community leaders. ---- We want to update you on a very important issue that will be aired Monday night on TV-19 WOIO. On Oct. 31, we met with TV-19 reporter Carl Monday, regarding some questions on the quality of concrete used in the Euclid Corridor Project. At that time, he presented photos alleging that the concrete supplier - a sub-contractor to a prime contractor - added calcium chloride to the concrete mix for parts of Euclid Avenue. If these allegations are confirmed, it would mean the concrete did not meet our specifications. At the interview, we requested the actual dates that the photos were taken. On Nov. 5, we were informed of the dates -- May 22 and May 28, 2008 - and the trucks involved. Our construction management consultant, Washington Group International, immediately began to review the concrete pours in question. Based on concrete batch plant tickets, we found no evidence that concrete poured on those dates contained calcium chloride. The concrete tests for those pours showed that the concrete met the physical and strength characteristics required by our specifications. Attached is a letter to that effect from our construction management firm. We also reviewed our records and found there were no requests, by either the prime contractor or the subcontractor, to use an alternate concrete mix on those days. During our Oct. 31 interview, we noted that the project included more than 1,800 concrete pours of various concrete mix designs. During the course of the Euclid Project, we documented only 27 instances of non-conformance with the concrete - 23 of them have already been addressed, three are being resolved by concrete replacement at the contractor's expense, and the final one is still being reviewed. TV-19's alleged use of improper additives is being added to our non-conformance report. We are in the process of having the concrete in question tested for chlorine content. In addition, RTA is doing random sampling of concrete throughout the length of the project. If our tests confirm the use of calcium chloride, RTA will take appropriate action against the contractor and subcontractor. The concrete in question was used for non-reinforced roadway pavement. Based on the physical characteristics and strength tests that have already been done, we firmly believe we have a high-quality roadway in place. We are keenly disappointed that Carl Monday waited until after the project was over to bring this important matter to our attention, and we expressed that to him. We hope this clears up any doubts the TV-19 story might create.

HealthLine is correct in all cases. So is "Web site", and you see how many ways we butcher that one.

During a typical AM rush hour, we used 24 standard buses on the #6. With the HealthLine, we now use 16.

The HealthLine is superior to the #6 service, and improvements are being made daily. RTA apologizes for any inconvenience. We wanted to give our customers as much service as we could, as soon as we could, and that's what we are doing.

I do not mean to sound like a hard-nose, but the you pay for a ride, and you are getting a ride. Any agency facing the financial limitations that RTA is does not give away its product.

RTA has locked in the price we pay for diesel fuel at $3.17 a gallon for calendar 2009. If there is an increase, it will be very late in the year.

That IS the update. The page was just posted.

Urbanlife, thanks for your observations. We also have people monitoring the changes daily. I have forwarded your text to them.

You are correct.

You can use a credit card to buy fare media at Tower City anytime. The smart card option on the fareboxes may be available next spring.

Rapid stations serve the rail system, while buses serve park-n-ride lots, usually with freeway, non-stop service downtown using larger MCI buses. For the purpose of fares, no Rapid lots are considered PNR. Enjoy.

Over the weekend, TV-19 General Manager Bill Applegate aired a HealthLine editorial that included some negative comments. He invited viewer comments. Please view the editorial and offer your comments asap. We appreciate your on-going support and interest in the HealthLine. To listen to the editorial, click here. http://www.woio.com/Global/category.asp?C=83362&nav=menu68_8_4 To submit comments, send e-mail to: [email protected] If you would like to give an on-the-air response of 60 seconds or less, fill out this form. There is no guarantee you will be called, so please offer written comments as well, via e-mail. http://www.woio.com/Global/category.asp?C=83362&nav=menu68_8_4

If you have any digital transit you would like to donate to the RTA archives, please send them to [email protected]. Thanks.

Here are our scheduled times: M-F 5 minutes during rush hours 10 minutes during the day 15 minutes in the evening 30 minutes late night S-S 15 minutes during the day 30 minutes late night

make that [email protected]

Post from 10/27/2008 "yo that machine in tower city 'VML39' is terrible. i put in several new crisp bills and it wouldnt even take them. after a couple tries i gave up since it took my money before (never got a refund)." Our Revenue Department responds..."We had staff check this machine out. It is fully functional. There are phone numbers posted on the machines when customers experience malfunctions. We need a name to follow-up on the no refund claim." Send me a note off-list at [email protected]

Did you catch the "honored" section on Page B-2 of today's Plain Dealer? Joe Calabrese was featured.

Generally speaking, it will be in the Warehouse District. At this time, that's all I can say.

Oct. 28, 2008 RTA retains rush-hour service on #75X route CLEVELAND – Officials of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) have modified their plans for the #75X bus route. Because of financial issues, RTA had planned to remove all #75X trips from Clifton Blvd., effective Nov. 9, and end the route at the West Park Rapid Station. However, over the last several weeks, it was determined that eliminating all #75X trips could result in capacity issues along Clifton Blvd. Now, RTA will operate four morning and four evening trips on the #75X on Clifton Blvd. All other peak and off-peak trips on #75X will terminate at the West Park Rapid Station. “Scheduling these trips to continue to travel directly downtown will benefit our customers in North Olmsted, Fairview Park, Lakewood and Cleveland,” says RTA CEO & General Manager Joe Calabrese. The eight trips are: AM eastbound times · Leave the county line at 5:55 a.m., arrive Public Square at 6:54 a.m., arrive CSU at 7:03 a.m. · 6:24 a.m., 7:23 a.m., 7:32 a.m. · 6:48 a.m., 7:48 a.m., 7:57 a.m. · 7:21 a.m., 8:21 a.m., 8:30 a.m. PM westbound times · Leave CSU at 4:24 p.m., arrive Public Square at 4:34 p.m. · 4:59 p.m., 5:09 p.m. · 5:33 p.m., 5:43 p.m. · 5:59 p.m., 6:09 p.m. Calabrese noted that if more funding for public transit is not included in the state budget that begins July 1, 2009, more service cuts will be made next fall.

RTA receives no revenue from jaywalking tickets. It is a safety issue, not a revenue issue.