From NYC:

 

http://www.wnyc.org/news/articles/132968

 

Cleveland’s Bus Rapid Transit

by Dan Moulthrop

 

http://d2umcibyw4ztss.cloudfront.net/img/132962/132962-0.jpg

 

 

NEW YORK, NY May 28, 2009 —As American cities increasingly look to expand their transit options but keep costs low, many planners are looking at Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT. The city of Cleveland, Ohio, launched a BRT called the Health Line, about six months ago...with two promises. The first: better, more efficient public transit on an important city artery. The second promise was more nebulous: that the BRT would provide an economic boost to the city's depressed downtown. In WNYC's look at BRTs around the world, Reporter Dan Mallthrop takes a look at how it's going in Cleveland.

 

.........

 

SLIDESHOW: http://blogs.wnyc.org/news/2009/05/28/clevelands-health-line-a-boost-for-transit-and-for-business/ (captions are somewhat misleading)

^ That was thorough, and quite fair overall.

^ Yeah, pretty fair. Though I understand the need for a counterpoint to the positives of the HL, I wish people would stop talking to Krumholz.

 

KRUMHOLZ: Lord knows I doubt that they'll get anything like the ridership of Curitiba...

 

No one is expecting that kind of ridership, but last time I rode the HL was pretty packed. I'm pretty sure we're seeing ridership as high as what was expected/hoped for. The man seems either obsolete or out of touch.

How can a man that has no passion or excitement for the city be the head of an Urban Design program?  Krumholz and pretty much everyone from his age group should just disappear from important posts in the city.  Really, what are this guys credentials other than working in the City Planning Department?

^I would have to disagree with that assessment of Krumholz, as I did not get that impression of him when I took his class on Urban Planning at Levin.  He may have been against expanding rail past the city's boundaries, as this is the main gripe that many have had against him.  However, he is one of the most knowledgeable individuals around when it comes to equity planning.  He spoke of the Healthline when I was in his class, and his assessment of the Healthline sounded very much like many of our gripes about it on this board (see upthread).  He was implemental in the creation of RTA, which could be viewed as one of his accomplishments when he was head of City Planning during a time of exodus and loss of investment in the city.  He also put forth a plan for building public housing in the suburbs, for which he received death threats (this obviously never passed). 

 

One of the things he stressed was that urban planning is very political.  Though a group of planners may come up with the next Group Plan, the plan hinges on the politicians in office and may never see the light of day.  Planners have very little power in regards to the end product.  Example:  The Lakefront Plan (which he also took part), which can change course based on the wants of the current mayoral administration. 

 

He is still VERY well respected in this town (and nationally), and has had guests such as Robert Brown (the current head of City Planning), Frank Jackson, Adam Wasserman, and others visit his class and talk with students about plans for the city, and what the city is doing to confront the challenges it faces.  I personally enjoyed these opportunities while in his class.  I would highly recommend taking a class with him, reading one of the books he has published, or visiting a City Planning meeting to see the man in something he is as passionate about as we.

 

While Krumholz and I don't necessarily see eye-to-eye on rail investment decisions, I have worked with him on some advocacy efforts to reign in ODOT's drive-or-die policies of recent decades.

^I would have to disagree with that assessment of Krumholz, as I did not get that impression of him when I took his class on Urban Planning at Levin.

I'll have to take your word for it as I have no knowledge of him other than a lot of quotes from articles like what was posted. In most of the quotes I've seen, he's seemed out of touch, if not outright ignorant. That's quite possibly just the quotes that have made the news, but maybe he needs to be clearer in what he means to avoid giving this impression. 

"They might have failed to take into consideration Curitiba has 3 million people and no cars and everyone depends on bus for transportation around town."

 

I hope he doesn't have any friends in RTA that worked on the Health Line, because I'd expect he'd be getting an ear full or a nasty email for this.

^I would have to disagree with that assessment of Krumholz, as I did not get that impression of him when I took his class on Urban Planning at Levin.

I'll have to take your word for it as I have no knowledge of him other than a lot of quotes from articles like what was posted. In most of the quotes I've seen, he's seemed out of touch, if not outright ignorant. That's quite possibly just the quotes that have made the news, but maybe he needs to be clearer in what he means to avoid giving this impression. 

 

That's fair.

Hey Jerry/JetDog -

I'm sure somebody must know about this already, but just in case....  The bottom two window panels on the very back door of HealthLine bus #2920 are cracked and a bit shattered.  Thanks!

Well, I knew it was too much to ask to have Euclid not under construction for more than a few months.  There's a whole gaggle of construction workers tearing up the car lane of Euclid this morning just east of East 9th.  Anyone know what that's all about?

Well, I knew it was too much to ask to have Euclid not under construction for more than a few months. There's a whole gaggle of construction workers tearing up the car lane of Euclid this morning just east of East 9th. Anyone know what that's all about?

The project is not yet closed out, and they are taking care of some final punch list items. I will have more info later.

"They might have failed to take into consideration Curitiba has 3 million people and no cars and everyone depends on bus for transportation around town."

 

Krumholz is wrong.  They do have cars in the city.  See Chapter 14 of the book:  Natural Capitalism:  www.natcap.org

 

It's just that some parts of the city are closed to car traffic. 

 

Quote from the book:  "Curitiba still has a half million cars—one for every 2.6 people, the highest rate of automobile ownership in Brazil except in Brasília itself, which was specifically designed around cars. Yet Curitiba also has no traffic problem, for thanks to benign neglect of cars, Curitiba now enjoys Brazil’s lowest rate of car drivership and cleanest urban air. It saves around 7 million gallons of fuel a year, and uses one-fourth less fuel per capita than other Brazilian cities to achieve better access."

About those artsy planters I was asking about a few months ago, it's now past June 1st, the date we were told, and still no sign of new planters.  The only thing done was the removal of vegetation from the three initial planters, by the Park Building. 

What's going on? 

I believe they said first "week" of June... It's only wednesday morning...

They're going in tomorrow.

Thanks!  The design seems a tad wierd, but with the right plantings they might come off well.  I guess Euclid can use something that is distinctive and I hope they give a really colorful effect.  chicago's North Michigan Avenue (Magnificent Mile) plantings down the center of the street "in season" are truly magnificent.  But so are many of the buildings, the shops, and the crowds, even on a Sunday afternoon!

Are there pics anywhere online?

http://downtowncleveland.org/blog/index.php/2009/04/euclid-avenue-planters/

punch: perhaps you meant you'd like to see a photo of the plantings in the middle of N. Michigan Avenue in Chicago?  In any case, I'd like to post one, if I find one that can be posted....

^Thanks Mayor McCleveland

 

Thanks LaFont, but I used to be a Chicagoan, and I am familiar with the plantings.  You are right, they are beautiful, but they take a lot of man hours to maintain.  When I would bartend in the south loop, I would walk to River North after work for a late night drink and see about 10-15 people watering, weeding, etc.

From the DCA...

 

Installation of Euclid Avenue Planters

Since summer 2008, DCA has been talking about the colorful planters designed to brighten the sidewalks of Euclid Avenue.  Since that time, three planters have been on display in front of the Park Building on Public Square.  Beginning on Thursday, June 4th, the entire installation of 100 planters is becoming a reality.  Over the course of four evenings, the installation will take place starting on PlayhouseSquare at E. 17th Street and continuing down Euclid Avenue to Public Square.  The installation will begin at 7pm every night in order to not disrupt the flow of traffic and flowers/plants are being installed simultaneously so that the planting will be complete in time for work next Monday.

DCA worked with Parkworks, Cleveland Public Art and the City of Cleveland to commission a 2006 Cleveland Instituted of Art graduate to create the design.  Mark Reigelman II designed a planter he referred to as Wrap - it is designed to look like a bouquet of flowers being given to the city. The planters are each four feet high; they flare from 2 feet at their base to 4 feet at their widest point, and they each weigh about 1,700 pounds. The planters will be filled with seasonal plantings, so that no matter the season, the planters will add to the beauty of the street.

The purpose of the Euclid Avenue Planter Program is to add to the beauty of Cleveland's most cherished avenue.  Creation of the Euclid Avenue Planter Program was made possible through the generous support of AmTrust Bank, which donated $100,000 to ensure that this beautification of Euclid came into reality.  Additional support for the Euclid Avenue planters came from National City Bank (now part of PNC), The City of Cleveland, PlayhouseSquare Foundation, The Sterling Building, Positively Cleveland, Codrington Foundation, eVentus Corporation, Boyert Nursery, Cohen & Company, and Youth Opportunities Unlimited.

 

Not the best photo of the Maganificent Mile plantings, but I think I can get away with using it:

McCleveland - Thanks for all the info. on the current project.  I sent it on to staff here, but one asked what the planters and their upkeep will cost "taxpayers."  I see there are all those donors but is it to remain "privately funded?"  Thanks. :clap:

This was in MedCityNews a few days ago. It probably could have gone in one of several threads...

 

Cleveland considers a cluster. Health care? Technology? And can it be done?

June 2, 2009 by Chris Seper

Found that Steven Litt wrote last fall the planters's upkeep is secured for the first five years, so assumably that answers my question of several posts ago.  If anyone has more current or accurate information please respond.

Meanwhile I hope someone here, at this early moment, uploads some photos of the new planters.  I see the individuals doing the installations of these 1,700-lb. planters last evening came through, as they are now installed from E. 17th westward, but I see so far (as of 7:45 a.m.) without any plantings, despite the update posted yesterday stating plantings would be done "simultaneously."  In any case, it would be really great if it is all done by Monday a.m.!

As the planters are filling in the areas where there are no rows of trees, or other obstructions, I see it turns out they're basically in clumps of their own.  I kind of like that rhythm.  So far so good.  I recall many years ago (1973, I believe), the main street of Syracuse - Salina Street - was rebuilt and they did the trees in an irregular pattern, too. I liked it!

Wonder how long it will take for the PD to have a photo, etc.  Didn't see anything today about it at all. Opinions on the new planters, please! :|

I just walked past them a few minutes ago... There were no vegitation in them yet so it's hard to give a final judgement... but I agree... I like the rhthym it creates.  I really hope some vegitation goes in today, at any rate I'll snap some pics this weekend.

Sure.  I would never have expected them to be planted immediately but that's what the article said so I'm looking forward to it.  And it is already June.  Good chunk of our "growing season" spent already. This must be about the last significant art already planned for the Corridor?  Does anyone know of more planned?  Around Univ. Circle, perhaps?  I know some special projects were proposed for that area but so far the public art there doesn't seem to really stand out more than anything else there. :type:

I know that between PS and E 9th all the planters were still on pallets, as if they had jut been off loaded from their truck.  You can see markings on the sidewalk of where they are going to go and, I think, which direction the end of the wrap will be.  Also, although the growing season may be ending, there are certian plants that will onlt now be starting to bloom and so on, as well as probably having been grown specifically for this project.  And with the them keeping them filled year round I'm sure there has been much planning about what variety of plants to use.

 

All good things to those who wait . . .

Yes, plenty of plants yet to come in rest of season.  I did see the chalk markings on the brick walks yesterday.

Hope they have evergreens or that cabbage or whatever all winter. :clap:

Once those planters are filled it will add a lot of color to the street.  I think they're going to look very nice.  I'm glad there are so many of them too.

 

While we're talking about plants, many of the treelawns are not holding up well.  A large number of the trees have dead sections, while others have pretty much expired.  A lot of the grass is either dead or overgrown like a vacant lot.  This is hardly what I was expecting our new showpiece to look like after less than one year of use.

 

Given that so little care is being taken of so many of the landscaping installations, it is more confusing than ever why the planters near CSU and Playhouse Square are filled with ugly grey dust.  My understanding was that these particular property owners had refused to accept maintenance obligations from RTA, so they got grey dust.  But now we just have prominent troughs of grey dust, to go along with landscaped troughs elsewhere that nobody is taking care of.  If that was going to be the case all along, I'd prefer to have tall grass and weeds in the CSU treelawns, because that still looks better than grey dust where there are clearly supposed to be plants.

 

Is there a solution to any of this?  I worry about installing dozens of new planters if we are already unable to keep the landscaping in order.  I don't want additional dead vegetation lining Euclid, nor do I want these planters given up on in a year's time and converted to trash cans.

 

On an unrelated note, the history kiosks are up and running at select stations, and everyone should check them out.  I had expected really basic info targeted at visitors, but instead I found the content to be highly detailed and informative. 

Regarding the last post, the individuals who are to maintain the new planters are not the same as those who maintain the general landscaping, so perhaps the planters will be better maintained.

Just walked the whole stretch between 13th and Public Square.  I see the work last evening was not as I had expected, which was planters being installed in sections, with ones installed filled with the plantings (as per article posted here).  Instead I see planters were spread out all the way to Public Square area, with the ones west of somewhere around E. 9th Street left on the wooden crates (is that the word?).  However, there are stretches skipped over which, according to the pattern, are eligible for planters (and, indeed, there are uncovered chalk markings in some cases).  I guess they'll be spread out better when all are officially installed directly on the pavement.  No plants are planted yet at all, but assumably all will be done by Mon. a.m. regardless.

Hi Jerry/JetDog -

I have a logistics question.  Bunching of Healthline buses is still a huge problem on the corridor.  Two, Three, or Four (yes, I have seen four in a row) buses in a row is such a huge waste!  I guess I really don't understand why there has to be a schedule for during rush hour when the buses are coming every five minutes (or supposed to be).  Wouldn't it be more efficient to just state "buses arrive approximately every five minutes" and have the drivers distance themselves as opposed to trying to follow a schedule?  I understand the need for schedules when they're 15+ minutes apart, but considering that regular buses have an error of +/- 5-10 minutes, why on earth should there be a schedule when buses are supposed to arrive every five minutes?  Thanks :)

 

P.S. - I'm an engineer, thus having an error larger than the intended value makes my head want to explode  :bang:

Four? Last Friday there were SIX queued up at the E. 14th stop.

 

I was running trying to catch one. Thankfully due to a red light, the fifth had just left the stop but the sixth was right there waiting for me.

 

I was the only person on the bus.

Bunching of Healthline buses is still a huge problem on the corridor. Two, Three, or Four (yes, I have seen four in a row) buses in a row is such a huge waste! I guess I really don't understand why there has to be a schedule for during rush hour when the buses are coming every five minutes (or supposed to be). Wouldn't it be more efficient to just state "buses arrive approximately every five minutes" and have the drivers distance themselves as opposed to trying to follow a schedule? I understand the need for schedules when they're 15+ minutes apart, but considering that regular buses have an error of +/- 5-10 minutes, why on earth should there be a schedule when buses are supposed to arrive every five minutes? Thanks :)

 

There are monitors at each end of the HealthLine, and they make sure the RTVs leave every 5 minutes during rush hour. There is no "schedule to follow". Once on the route, there are things we cannot control -- such as crowds of low-intelligence pedestrians walking right in front of the vehicle, cars using the transit-only lane, and construction (non-RTA projects). I am sure there are other things I have not mentioned here. With vehicles only 5 minutes apart, it only takes a few delays and bunching occurs. RTA is aware of the problem and monitoring it and working on solutions.

P.S. - I'm an engineer, thus having an error larger than the intended value makes my head want to explode :bang:

 

I hope your head is well engineered to tolerate a world filled with errors! Otherwise....

Bunching of Healthline buses is still a huge problem on the corridor.  Two, Three, or Four (yes, I have seen four in a row) buses in a row is such a huge waste!  I guess I really don't understand why there has to be a schedule for during rush hour when the buses are coming every five minutes (or supposed to be).  Wouldn't it be more efficient to just state "buses arrive approximately every five minutes" and have the drivers distance themselves as opposed to trying to follow a schedule?  I understand the need for schedules when they're 15+ minutes apart, but considering that regular buses have an error of +/- 5-10 minutes, why on earth should there be a schedule when buses are supposed to arrive every five minutes?  Thanks :)

 

There are monitors at each end of the HealthLine, and they make sure the RTVs leave every 5 minutes during rush hour. There is no "schedule to follow". Once on the route, there are things we cannot control -- such as crowds of low-intelligence pedestrians walking right in front of the vehicle, cars using the transit-only lane, and construction (non-RTA projects). I am sure there are other things I have not mentioned here. With vehicles only 5 minutes apart, it only takes a few delays and bunching occurs. RTA is aware of the problem and monitoring it and working on solutions.

 

So they don't attempt to follow the posted schedule on RTA's webpage (not that I look at it anyway)....  Would it be possible with the drivers to be in radio contact with the buses behind and in front of them so they know that they need to slow down or speed up?  Or something like that?

So it's Monday a.m. and the hard workers came through - at least the planters in the part of Euclid I've seen so far are fully installed and fully planted.  I'm slightly surprisingly very happy with the aesthetics.  Wish someone would post some photos here;  I don't have my camera here today (at the momen it's raining, too).  Haven't seen a word in the PD yet - thought they'd catch it by Fri. let alone today.

DocBroc,

  When I was in Chicago, my busses would always wind up bunching.  It is not a unique problem to the RTA, it may be inherent to the process. (gave you some enginerd speak there :)

DocBroc,

When I was in Chicago, my busses would always wind up bunching. It is not a unique problem to the RTA, it may be inherent to the process. (gave you some enginerd speak there :)

 

Haha, thanks.  I mean, it's not outside of reasonable expectations to maybe have two back to back, but three, four, or even six as AMN spoke of?  There's definitely room for improvement there.

With tight headways (like 5 mins), bunching is pretty much impossible to avoid.  It even happens with NYC subways, which don't have to worry about sharing their tracks.

 

But one thing that is probably not helping:  RTA/City of Cleveland could probably put a little money in their pockets and improve HL service by policing the Euclid/E9th street intersection during morning rush.  From a hotel window, I witnessed moronic commuters driving north up 9th unable to resist driving into "the box" when traffic wasn't moving, meaning that the RTV lanes were blocked for several consecutive light cycles.  It was just 5 mins of viewing, so maybe not representative, but if I were on the RTVs stuck at that intersection, I would be fantasizing about mounting a cow catcher on the RTVs so it could just clear a path...

The bigger problem with the bunching of multiple buses (i.e. more than two) is that there's always a HUGE gap either before or after the bunch.  Wait times for buses that come every five minutes can near twenty minutes.  I don't feel like there is standard procedure being followed between all the drivers.

DocBroc you said it yourself, the variance is larger than the desired interval.  It is what it is.  One thing they could do is let the first bus in the bunch blow by, while the second or third hangs back to pick people up.  Stinks because that first bus is presumably late, but the only way to even things out is to let it go.  Currently that doesn't happen... instead, the first bus stops to load/unload a ton of people while the other ones are stuck behind it.

DocBroc you said it yourself, the variance is larger than the desired interval.  It is what it is.  One thing they could do is let the first bus in the bunch blow by, while the second or third hangs back to pick people up.  Stinks because that first bus is presumably late, but the only way to even things out is to let it go.  Currently that doesn't happen... instead, the first bus stops to load/unload a ton of people while the other ones are stuck behind it.

 

That's kinda what I mean, in a way.  There's no standard way of operation (or if there is, the drivers don't follow it).  I've been on buses where the drivers drive like bats outta hell, and others where they go 25 mph.  That certainly doesn't help the bunching problem.  There needs to be enforced standards on the proper way to operate these things.  It certainly will not completely alleviate bunching, but it should help to an extent.

 

EDIT:  Some drivers are good about it and put up the "Please Take Next Bus" message if ther are other buses right behind them.  But not all do.

riding this route a few times a week, the biggest problem seems to still be the light timing/activation, especially on lower euclid intersections.  E6 still takes an entire cycle to activate for the bus; E9 is the same way - if you just miss the bus signal, you'll be waiting for at least 90 seconds.  The traffic prioritization system is smart enough to give priority to the bus only (and not activate a car cycle), but it doesn't seem that the city has done this at any of the intersections.  Other intersections outside of lower euclid continue to give priority to turning cars even when a bus is waiting. 

 

it doesn't take more than 1 or 2 of these light cycles to not properly prioritize to cause significant backup especially when running 5 minute headways.

 

this isn't RTAs problem as the city controls the light timing, but i think the city has dropped the ball on holding up their end of the bargain, or never believed that this was a transit and pedestrian corridor first and foremost.

 

last week i rode a mid-day healthline brt from public square to university circle (cornell).  there was no bunching, but the trip took 33 minutes for what should be a 20 to 22 minute ride - we sat at nearly every light along the corridor.  this aspect of the system certainly isn't very rail-like.

I've noticed that too, that the much-heralded "smart" intersections don't appear to have been turned on yet.  E9th is the one intersection where I wouldn't expect this to help much, due to the volume of N/S traffic on that street.  But I ride this route frequently, and the BRT signal priority system has no observable effect anywhere.  BRTs sit for long periods at intersections where there is no other traffic... almost as if the lights were run off a simple timer device. 

There's no way the signal prioritization has been turned on at all (in my opinion)....

Took a short walk on euclid today from e 6th to e 4th and then back again (extremely short), but the planters that i did see looked great! They all seemed to be rotated differently so that it wasnt the same angle at every single planter. Also the space in the 515 garage where the furniture store is going is coming along. Desks and chairs seem to be pretty much set up and hopefully will be opening soon! Also more painting going on at Presto in the arcade fronting euclid, should be soon for this hopefully great addition to the area.

Yes, noticed the same things.  So it's "Pesto" - is that a chain?  The mural - sort of French -is obliterated, I see.  Yes, the planters look surprisingly well!  There are long stretches without them, even in some cases where there are no trees or other obstructions either, but the gatherings are rather aesthetically pleasing. 

Glad to see the hard workers came through in the four evenings, as promised! And we have something different than any other downtown in the world.  I sure like them better than those computer-generated-designed sculptures at the Mall.  They're not the same artist, are they?  One Euclid I see there are some vines already spreading out on the sidewalks; regular trimming will be essential.  Like the new pots of flowers on E. 4th, too!  Those "blue ice" thingies are a little peculiar, but better than nothing.

There's no way the signal prioritization has been turned on at all (in my opinion)....

 

The only intersection that appears to have the smart signal prioritization working is the South Roadway and Ontario intersection.  I drive by this everyday and have noticed that when there is no bus at the Tower City station the BRT signal is skipped in the cycle.  When a BRT is at the station the BRT signal will activate.