on the topic of the "district" maps, I noticed these yesterday on my ride downtown and was excited to see them.  I'd forgotten what was going to happen with the two blank sides of these structures on each platform.  It wasn't until I got an up-close look at a few of them that my excitement turned to disappointment.  I guess I'll have to wait and see what additional maps are provided at each station before I can make a full assessment of this, but the maps that they've just put up are pretty worthless.  They have "landmarks" plotted on them, but these landmarks are not identified, nor are the cross streets.  Again, this may play out further with the interactive kiosks or more detailed neighborhood maps, so I hope I'm premature here!

 

the maps that are going in the back lighted section of the kiosk will include a route map, a zoomed in portion of the map that shows the streets and 5 or 10 attractions around the stop (with information on these attractions), frequency information and fare information.  the mock ups look pretty good. 

 

hopefully RTA can find a way to incorporate similar signage/maps at all of the rail stations, as many of the stops today do not have very good maps or information on activities/attractions that surround the stops.

^thanks for that.  And amen to the proliferation of this type of package throughout the system!

from this morning...

 

1.  Workers laying brick in the median near East 13th street.

2.  Median work.

3.  I've never been so happy to see dirt poured before... all these things need are plants now.

4.  The sidewalks are now complete on the north side, all the way to East 6th street

5.  Workers "slingin bricks" in front of 515 Euclid.

The majority of the trees on the north side seem to have issues..

The majority of the trees on the north side seem to have issues..

 

They planted a lot of those on the weekend of the intolerable heat. Hopefully there's something in the contracts that will get those replaced.

Anybody else notice how bad the traffic has been at rush hour now that you can't turn right on red at E.14th Street to head south towards the freeway?  It took me 14 minutes last night just to go from E.12 to E.13.  I really hope the traffic engineers reverse that brilliant decision soon.

looks like i should have waited a few hours...  I see seedums in here... i love seedums particuarly around the fall.

Heightsfan, can't you appreciate traffic congestion in this city?!  Especially on Euclid?! :wink:

 

I'm serious but maybe they need to look at correcting that light.

Anybody else notice how bad the traffic has been at rush hour now that you can't turn right on red at E.14th Street to head south towards the freeway?  It took me 14 minutes last night just to go from E.12 to E.13.  I really hope the traffic engineers reverse that brilliant decision soon.

 

Funny, my sidewalks were nice and wide and lit with walk signals.

I can definitely appreciate more street traffic and wish we had more, but 14 minutes to drive one block is nuts, especially when you have an appointment to get to.

Anybody else notice how bad the traffic has been at rush hour now that you can't turn right on red at E.14th Street to head south towards the freeway? It took me 14 minutes last night just to go from E.12 to E.13. I really hope the traffic engineers reverse that brilliant decision soon.

 

Funny, my sidewalks were nice and wide and lit with walk signals.

 

I rather enjoyed my bike lanes.  Zip, zip!

Was back in Cleveland for a Convention this past weekend...Euclid looks amazing. Everyone from Pittsburgh marveled about how great the street (and the city) was starting to look!

Anybody else notice how bad the traffic has been at rush hour now that you can't turn right on red at E.14th Street to head south towards the freeway?  It took me 14 minutes last night just to go from E.12 to E.13.  I really hope the traffic engineers reverse that brilliant decision soon.

 

Funny, my sidewalks were nice and wide and lit with walk signals.

 

I rather enjoyed my bike lanes.  Zip, zip!

 

I feel like I see more bikers using those than previous (I jog up and down Euclid)....

I assume they will burlap or protect all the plantings in the winter.  The snow plows and salt will destroy all the landscaping.

the ones in midtown seemed to hold up fine over the past winter...

Pic from today:

 

^What a brilliant shot.

Anybody else notice how bad the traffic has been at rush hour now that you can't turn right on red at E.14th Street to head south towards the freeway? It took me 14 minutes last night just to go from E.12 to E.13. I really hope the traffic engineers reverse that brilliant decision soon.

 

Funny, my sidewalks were nice and wide and lit with walk signals.

 

I rather enjoyed my bike lanes. Zip, zip!

 

Crossing Euclid at 14th takes FOREVER. What used to be a quick run across the street to the bank now takes 10 minutes. They definitely need to rethink the traffic pattern there. (Or I need to get a job across the street.)

Um, HELLLLOOOO!!! 

 

HEALTH LINE!!!

 

They are doing you us a favor - forcing you us to exercise.

 

 

EDIT: Didn't want to imply any particular person needs exercise

Yesterday I got on the E-Line trolley at 18th street and got off somewhere between 17th and 14th to start walking b/c traffic was so bad I could actually walk faster.  Granted, the Browns were playing so that is an exception, but I take the E-Line to school at night and traffic does move slow through that area.  I'm all for walking, but it's 2 miles between where I need to go and that just takes longer than I always have time for.

 

So yes, I agree they need to work on the traffic patterns there.

Um, HELLLLOOOO!!!

 

HEALTH LINE!!!

 

They are doing you us a favor - forcing you us to exercise.

 

 

EDIT: Didn't want to imply any particular person needs exercise

 

Musky, I think AMN was actually refering to... walking.  I've noticed 2 places, 14th and 6th, where the wait to get a walk signal is ridiculous.  At 6th St. I've actually seen green lights circulate for the same auto traffic pattern 3 times before a walk signal comes on.  They aren't asking people to wait a reasonable amount of time... they're asking people to wait an unreasonable amount of time.  So people just walk whenever they can.  They need to Iron this out or it's going to be an issue.  If the walk signal stays up for 10 seconds and then counts down for 20 seconds.... why not just put all auto traffic to red lights and clear people out.

 

I think they'll also have to do something about that right turn at 14th as well.  It really does hold auto traffic back way too long.

^Amen to that.

Having never driven though the E 14th intersection but noticing the timing as a pedestrian, I'm happy to see cars wait. In my experiences, Cleveland drivers are some of the worst in the world when it comes to paying attention to pedestrians (who have the walk signal).

 

I'm no transit planner, but I'm willing to bet these are typical issues that are looked at once everything is up and running.

Having never driven though the E 14th intersection but noticing the timing as a pedestrian, I'm happy to see cars wait. In my experiences, Cleveland drivers are some of the worst in the world when it comes to paying attention to pedestrians (who have the walk signal).

 

I am the crazy lady you often hear yelling at cars and flipping them off as they almost run me over in the crosswalk.

Oh you're the one! You belly-flopped onto my car's hood and yelled....

 

I'M WALKING HERE!!!

I will spit, poor coffee on your car, hit your car, curse at you, give you dirty looks if you infringe on my crosswalk (obvious exception for people who got caught a changing light, or whatever).

Oh you're the one! You belly-flopped onto my car's hood and yelled....

 

I'M WALKING HERE!!!

 

That's me! 

 

Did you know that line was actually improvised and it was a real/unplanned car coming at them when they were crossing?

Okay, I'm guilty too, but let's "steer" back on topic.

I was in downtown Columbus a few months ago and noticed that they have signs up all over the place, saying to yield to pedestrians in the cross walks on turns,  trying to pound it into drivers' skulls, I guess.    Maybe we could use some of that.

Toledo discovers GCRTA's hybrid buses:

 

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080812/NEWS16/78160778

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Article published August 12, 2008

 

$860,000 hybrid vehicle one of Cleveland's public transit’s revivals

 

By MATTHEW EISEN

BLADE STAFF WRITER

 

CLEVELAND — Emmett Fryer maneuvers the futuristic rapid transit vehicle around a corner of Cleveland’s Public Square.

 

The sleek 63-foot machine appears part bus and part train. It elegantly bends in the middle, its backside returning in line as it completes the turn with a pack of sidewalk onlookers watching. It moves swiftly toward Euclid Avenue, the city’s main downtown thoroughfare.

 

............

It's a nice vehicle and all, but it doesn't for a minute seem half bus/half train to me.  It's obviously 100% bus.

Yeah, it is not half train half bus to me either.  The concept however is half train half bus given that it only stops at designated stations.  To me, the concept is not much different than a streetcar other than it does not ride on rails.

There were 2 of those buses at Public Square around 3pm yesterday.  Looking pretty good

The transportation veteran (Calabrese) said rail can cost as much as $100 million per mile.

 

And it can also cost as little as $20 million per mile. He keeps saying he's not biased against rail. But when he continues to throw around this bullshit number, I truly wonder.

 

It IS 100% bus... I've gone on record as not being a fan of this service as being sold as an adequate substitute for the subway that should have been built in this corridor.  Maybe it's spurring development in the corridor or maybe the development's being spurred by other factors...

 

... that being said, it political showmanship of the lowest order for Congressman Kucinich and Councilman Michael Polansek to bash the ECP/Health Line, which was mainly funded by the feds, anyway, when the discussion should have been on the RTA gas/service cut crisis... I'll give Health Line a fair shot, and even a ride... But pullleeeze, Mr. Calabrese, don't try and sell us that this is a cheaper, equally effective alternative to rail... It most certainly is not.

Toledo discovers GCRTA's hybrid buses:

 

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080812/NEWS16/78160778

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Article published August 12, 2008

 

$860,000 hybrid vehicle one of Cleveland's public transits revivals

 

Bus rapid transit lines can be designated and more buses can be tacked on if the service starts to grow. If the volume grows to a point, then some of these vehicles can be linked together. And then tracks can be laid.

 

 

It sure would be nice if this happened w/r to the Health Line, w/ a downtown connecting (to the existing Rapid) subway too.

 

 

It IS 100% bus... I've gone on record as not being a fan of this service as being sold as an adequate substitute for the subway that should have been built in this corridor.  Maybe it's spurring development in the corridor or maybe the development's being spurred by other factors...

 

 

 

And I'm pretty sure RTA has gone on record not saying this is a substitute for Subway or whatever. Its a major service upgrade to a corridor. (well maybe not out of Joe's mouth, but I don't listen to everything he says)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cleveland’s Mr. Calabrese said he believes volume and density affect the viability of train lines between cities as well.

 

“If you look at the intercity rail that has been the most successful, it’s the northeast corridor. One reason is you have a lot of people, a lot of density,” he said. “We don’t have the density to make rail be cost effective.”

 

Maybe somebody could school our Transit Chief in the idea that rail transit is designed as much to create density as it is to serve it.

 

... btw, this Toledo Blade article is more comprehensive and superior to anything you'll see about trains and transit in the PD.

It IS 100% bus... I've gone on record as not being a fan of this service as being sold as an adequate substitute for the subway that should have been built in this corridor. Maybe it's spurring development in the corridor or maybe the development's being spurred by other factors...

 

 

 

And I'm pretty sure RTA has gone on record not saying this is a substitute for Subway or whatever. Its a major service upgrade to a corridor. (well maybe not out of Joe's mouth, but I don't listen to everything he says)

 

It's called *Bus Rapid Transit* for a reason.  I think only Clevelanders equate rapid transit to train as based on some of our airport discussions in the RTA thread.

On Wednesday, Aug. 13, vehicles will be able to travel in the eastbound and westbound curb lanes of Euclid Avenue, between East 86th Street and East 93rd Street.

 

Because of the installation of median stations at East 89th and East 93rd streets, the intersections at East 86th, East 87th and East 90th streets will be permanently closed to through traffic. The new median landscape beds will separate the intersections.

 

Vehicles traveling on Euclid Avenue will no longer be able to make left turns at these intersections. East 89th Street will remain one-way southbound.

 

The intersection of Euclid Avenue and East 107th Street will close for reconstruction for about a month. Local access will be maintained for businesses. Vehicles traveling south on East 107th Street will be detoured around the construction area, to Chester Avenue and back to Euclid Avenue.

 

Please use caution when traveling through the construction area. 

 

i'm fully on board with this now, but mostly because i like to think of the healthline bus as a sidebar to a somewhat more stealth rta & city plan to get the the roadbed and streetscape all fixed up for redevelopment. in that light -- mission accomplished!

 

now if only akron metro & canton can get that scenic railroad ramped up into a stealth commuter line next.  :wink:

now if only akron metro & canton can get that scenic railroad ramped up into a stealth commuter line next. :wink:

 

Now that's something I'd get excited about.

 

 

Despite these steps toward greater public transit, some urban planners remain incensed that American cities have been lapped by international cities.

 

On Spain’s southern border, the city of Malaga recently began construction on the Malaga Metro, a below ground transit system that covers more than 20 miles.

 

The undertaking — more expensive and laborious than even light rail — comes from a city with a population only twice as large as Toledo’s.

 

The difference between the "international cities" and the US is that other countries are willing to invest the money it takes to have superb subway and other rail services.  You get what you pay for.  It's that simple. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cleveland’s Mr. Calabrese said he believes volume and density affect the viability of train lines between cities as well.

 

“If you look at the intercity rail that has been the most successful, it’s the northeast corridor. One reason is you have a lot of people, a lot of density,” he said. “We don’t have the density to make rail be cost effective.”

 

Maybe somebody could school our Transit Chief in the idea that rail transit is designed as much to create density as it is to serve it.

 

... btw, this Toledo Blade article is more comprehensive and superior to anything you'll see about trains and transit in the PD.

 

Jeez, Calabrese is starting to sound like a problem. That could cause some people and groups who have been supportive in the past to take a fresh look at things, especially if these sorts of comments continue. To suggest that Cleveland or Ohio does not have the population density to make rail work is very counterproductive and is simply not true.

 

Calabrese is also on the Century 21 task force and has a position of influence. If he is using that influence to push for more buses without looking ahead to an oil-short future and making the investment in electrified rail, it's only fair to ask why he appears to be wedded to buses.

 

If it turns out he is interested in is buses first and rail "someday", others might have a lot to say about that stance.

 

I hope that's not true.

Joe C's comments seem to be consistent with the line of poor leadership that this city has had for several decades:  rarely looking at the present as a time to plant the seed of future development.

Well, I understand he has RTA to run and it should be run responsibly, but he needs to smell the coffee and get some vision. The last thing we need is another obstacle.

 

 

 

If you look at the intercity rail that has been the most successful, its the northeast corridor. One reason is you have a lot of people, a lot of density, he said. We dont have the density to make rail be cost effective.

 

I missed that quote from Calabrese. That's a very faulty opinion because it isn't supported by the facts. Geez, how many times must we repeat ourselves!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! I'm getting pretty sick and tired of this spreading of falsehoods, especially from someone whom I expected would know better.

 

I was prepared to write a column in Sun in support of Calabrese and RTA, and make a strong plea for more state and federal funds for transit. But there has to be a quid pro quo and I don't see it coming from Calabrese. So I'm going to hold off on my column until I see more enlightened discourse from GM/CEO Joe.

 

I am VERY disappointed and frustrated with Mr. Calabrese.

i think calabrese has been given all the slack that can be cut him. cheers to having a very well run system, but a big boo to the vision thing. no tober is he.

 

perhaps a better article would be an investigation into the dealings that led to bus rapid transit choice? at least someone check if his wife is sporting a new fur coat or something. heh.

 

I think that has all been gone over to death on this thread.  We had to cut costs to be competitive for the federal money.

Nooo, like rockandroller said, he and JMasek are obviously chugging Cristal!!! ;-)