It would appear to be about 27 grade crossings in Lakewood, counting W 117. (including my street). There was a plan, that didn't come to pass, that would have dead-ended a number of streets to reduce this count.

 

During the 30 years that I lived in Lakewood, they tore out the second track on the NS line, going down to a single track. So there is definitely room for two tracks.  The number of freight trains is down drastically compared to the 1980's or early 1990's.

 

Yes, a number of streets could be dead-ended at the tracks.  A plan was floated years ago to reroute all the remaining frieghts off this route, so it could totally be used by Rapids, and yes, that removed 2nd track could be reinstated since there's room for it, as you note.  It's not totally out of the ordinary for HRT's to cross streets and make stops at surface level.  Both the Chicago L (limitedly) and the New York's Long Island RR (extensively), do this and both of these use live 3rd-rail power sources... Our Rapid would have the advantage of using power catenary, which is out of reach of pedestrians-- similar to how LRTs run in Shaker and down in the Flats... a rail bridge should be erected over W. 117, given that it's a busy, main N-S artery.

 

Even the giant RR bridge across the Rocky River could be used by Rapids.

On the other hand, had Cleveland leaders and RTA stuck to what the residents wanted, there would be a much more extensive rail system and, I believe, Cleveland's decline may not have been as steep and its subsequent recovery not as protracted.

 

Really!?  How about: what Cleveland pols and leaders wanted.  In 1953 Cuyahoga County voters voted 2-1 to build a downtown loop subway.  Yet, the County Commissioners, egged on by County Engineer Albert Porter, thwarted voters' wishes, and didn't build it... In the 1990s, Cleveland was poised to build the Dual Hub Subway up Euclid, but instead, decided it was too expensive and, hence, we have the cramped, slow-moving, Health Line BRT. RTA had a transit chief, Ron Tober, who wanted to expand rapid transit and develop commuter rail in many of the ways discussed up thread (Tober btw pushed hard for the Dual Hub rail subway project), but local leaders thought him to be too grandiose and ran him out of town -- he landed in Charlotte and led development of Charlotte's first (and expanding) LRT system.  Instead, leaders opted for the more conservative Joe Calabrese who was more their speed.  How different would Cleveland have been if these projects had been built?  It was leadership, not the people, who did this. 

 

... Oh yeah, and it was also leadership who opted to build the $350M Opportunity Corridor highway through the city, led by Gov/Pres hopeful John Kasich, at the same time the State has become among the stingiest in the nation toward funding public transit..

 

I'm talking about the 1950s subway and the regional rail intent of the 1970s RTA system which, by not being built 60 and 40 years ago would have offset CLE's sustained decline and slow ''recovery''.  The Opp Corridor as far as I know was not on the ballot so maybe this will clear up your confusion on my point.

 

Also, the Dual Hub corridor was not on the ballot and was a completely different set-up than the 1950s subway.  CLE of the '50s was not CLE of the '90s.  It's interesting that you neglect the downtown business interests (Higbee's) that contributed to stopping the subway going to PHS where Halle's was.  This move help end both Halle's and Higbee's downtown existence.

 

Also, by the time Tober was running RTA, the Dual Hub and other issues pursued by Tober were too grandiose given the condition of the city and region.  We got the HealthLine and the City of Cleveland sponsored WFL.

 

My point reads the same way as your ''Really!? How about what Cleveland pols and leaders wanted''.  The voters voted for what they wanted; the leaders and pols did what they wanted by not building what the voters wanted. 

^My bad, I misread you; we're not really disagreeing...

 

I have no doubt Porter, and the Commissioners (at least the 2 who voted against the subway), were in Higbee's, et al., back pocket... As for Tober and expansion, there always seems to be an excuse; it's never the right time for rail.  Like now, RTA tells us that it's not the right time to think about rail transit expansion because of the budget crises, even though there are signs the city is coming back and downtown and some in-city neighborhoods are growing; people-wise and expense-wise.  Other cities plan rail expansion despite budget issues.  I'm glad Ken publicly questioned Calabrese on this in the PD article last month.  Just paying the bills is not enough for a transit system.

 

^My bad, I misread you; we're not really disagreeing...

 

I have no doubt Porter, and the Commissioners (at least the 2 who voted against the subway), were in Higbee's, et al., back pocket... As for Tober and expansion, there always seems to be an excuse; it's never the right time for rail.  Like now, RTA tells us that it's not the right time to think about rail transit expansion because of the budget crises, even though there are signs the city is coming back and downtown and some in-city neighborhoods are growing; people-wise and expense-wise.  Other cities plan rail expansion despite budget issues.  I'm glad Ken publicly questioned Calabrese on this in the PD article last month.  Just paying the bills is not enough for a transit system.

 

The in-city neighborhoods are growing people-wise and expense-wise but the city overall, the county and region are still losing population.  I wouldn't be surprised if the city population started to increase provided that the popular in-city neighborhoods continue to grow, some with nice, density projects on the boards with a nice collateral effect on the tax base and an expansion into other neighborhoods.  The lakefront areas on the west side and eventually the east side lakefront I think will see decent to strong population growth=density=transit demand.

 

However, until the region and county increase its population then the city growth is just population shuffling.

 

Yet RTA has studied a $1 billion extension of the Red Line to Euclid.  Take the light-rail out to the west side along Detroit Avenue.  A streetcar would introduce a 3rd type of rail service, another disconnect from extended one-run service.

Take the light-rail out to the west side along Detroit Avenue.  A streetcar would introduce a 3rd type of rail service, another disconnect from extended one-run service.

 

The Shaker rapids are light-rail streetcars that happen to operate in grassy medians and over a heavy-rail line into the CBD. There's nothing preventing them from operating over a new route down a street like a streetcar. Whatever railcar replaces them will likely be designed similar to Pittsburgh's rail fleet which serves high/low platform stations and operates on a dedicated right of way, on elevated tracks, in subways and on city streets like a streetcar.

 

The Cincinnati streetcar infrastructure and vehicles are built to light-rail standards. They spent $136 million for 3.5 miles of route, or nearly $40 million per mile.

A good start...

 

Bus systems in Summit, Portage and Stark counties discussing closer coordination

http://www.ohio.com/news/bus-systems-in-summit-portage-and-stark-counties-discussing-closer-coordination-1.679014

:yap:

:yap:

 

We need it also with the limited Youngstown, WRTA,  Trumbull Transit and many non profits in the area. Plus a link with New Castle transit to Pittsburgh. Sounds like a good train route between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Also, with a branch from Akron, Kent, Warren, etc.

 

I wonder why they aren't including GCRTA in those discussions.  All three of those agencies run lines that go to Downtown Cleveland, and some run to other Cuyahoga County locations.  Is it too complicated to coordinate with such a large system?  Is GCRTA too large/overbearing an organization for these smaller agencies to feel they can partner successfully with it?

I think the coordination is limited at this time to transfers/connections between intercounty services at Akron's transit center. All three transit agencies have intercounty services that connect there. GCRTA has no intercounty services except for a small part of the #39 that extends over into Shoregate Shopping Center in Wickliffe in Lake County. However GCRTA connections with Laketran could improve there as well as at the old VA in Brecksville with Akron Metro RTA. I believe GCRTA also may have a connection with Akron Metro at Northfield or Oakwood.

I wonder why they aren't including GCRTA in those discussions.  All three of those agencies run lines that go to Downtown Cleveland, and some run to other Cuyahoga County locations.  Is it too complicated to coordinate with such a large system?  Is GCRTA too large/overbearing an organization for these smaller agencies to feel they can partner successfully with it?

 

Likely because GCRTA is disinterested.  For example, Summit moved the 102 line's terminus to Northfield Park when the casino opened, it's literally on the county line.  GCRTA still only moves in that direction at rush hour and it turns off Northfield at Alexander, reaching the county line on Broadway (on the Oakwood/Twinsburg line, as referenced above), where there isn't much.

I doubt GCRTA was even approached. This joint effort was hyper-focused on the inter-county connections at Robert K. Pfaff Transit Center. Maybe someday it will involve more than that, but not right now.

Over the past few years I've complained a lot about RTA's website on UO and occasionally suggested some ways to improve the information it provides to current and potential riders. I know other forum participants agree there's lots of room for improvement. That discussion is easily lost in our busy RTA thread, so I thought it made sense to start a new thread to discuss the topic that JeTDoG[/member] can monitor. Instead of me just emailing him, this will let other people weigh in with other suggestions.

 

I'm going to focus on the "how to pay" and "fares" pages, which are among the most important.  The goal should be to clearly answer these questions for potential riders:

 

For a particular service (or services) I plan to ride, when and where do I pay? Do I need exact change? Can I use a credit card? Are transfers included in my fare purchase? What are my options for advanced purchases of fares, through passes, refillable cards, or multi-trip cards? How much will different options cost me?

 

The "how to pay" page is probably the most egregiously bad part of the website: http://www.riderta.com/howtopay

It looks as though it was adopted from a press release in 2008 when the new POP system was launched. It hypes "state of the art" when RTA's system is already two generations behind other major transit agencies, soon to be three generations behind. It's still selling the benefits of proof of purchase almost a decade after the decision to implement it was made. It provides a jumbled mess of info without clear structure.

 

RTA's challenge is that it has three unique payment routines for its primary services:

 

1. Red Line and HealthLine: proof of payment

2. Green Line and Blue Line light rail: pay enter eastbound/pay exit westbound, including via the Tower City turnstiles

3. Bus service (excluding the trollies and HealthLine): pay at driver-side farebox on bus when boarding

 

IMHO, this should be your organizing structure when explaining how to pay, because each routine is different. You can't just tell people "fareboxes are used on all buses and light-rail trains on the Blue, Green and Waterfront lines," because it's horribly misleading. Most light rail riders never interact with the on-vehicle farebox at all. For each payment routine, passengers have the option to buy a cash fare, but when you pay and whether you can use credit cards and change bills into coins to pay exact fare varies. This is stuff potential passengers care about.

 

The "fares" page is pretty straightforward, so not a big problem, but it could easily be tweaked to be more helpful. For each fare/media type, maybe briefly describe where it can be purchased in the main text of the page. For example: 1-way ticket (can be purchased with exact change at all RTA fareboxes, at Red Line/Health Line ticket vending machines, and from retailers (if true)). You might also note that you cannot buy 1-way tickets at TVMs for future trips, because that issue has burned many riders over the years.  For media types that can only be bought at special locations (retailers, RTA service center), provide the link to that list there, in the main text, instead of just in the menu in the upper right.

 

Another, entirely separate issue is the system maps, and I realize this isn't really a website-specific issue. I don't know if it's still true, but when we last exchanged comments about this a few years ago, RTA was only able to update its full system map like once or twice a year, regardless of any service changes in the meantime. So RTA would continue to show routes on its on-line service map for months after they were eliminated. Even with tight budgets, this is pretty terrible.

 

Another system map issue is this thing: http://www.riderta.com/sites/default/files/pdf/maps/System_Map_Rapid_Connect.pdf

It's awful. I know you aren't the designer, but please tell someone with authority how awful it is. If the CSU line doesn't terminate at the Waterfront Line somewhere between Settler's Landing and Tower City, your rapid transit route map shouldn't tell people it does. At the very least, this map absolutely has to make clear the HealthLine, CSU Line, and rail lines, all serve Public Square.

 

Also, it would be great if RTA would consider a diagrammatic route map that covers high frequency services of all modes. Ideally there would be room for it on all rail vehicles and at key bus and BRT stops. If you want some inspiration what this would look like, here's something a grad student (I think in California) put together covering RTA's system: http://www.thegreatermarin.org/map-store/preorder-clevelands-rapid-and-frequent-bus-map

 

Anyway, I'm sure it's annoying to read people whining about stuff RTA does "wrong" all the time, but I really urge RTA to take a fresh look at all the practical information through the eyes of someone totally unfamiliar with the system, maybe someone who isn't familiar with riding transit at all. Think about how to make it clear so there's no intimidation or confusion. Right now that type of info is sort of a mess, IMHO.

^ Nicely articulated. I second everything said.

Very good points.  I don't think the red line is POP though.  At tower city you have to swipe a pass to get on or off.  And if you are using a five ride pass, you need to have already debited it when you arrive-- or RTA police will arrest you, which is not the best way to explain policies IMO.  They did it to me, and they better not do it to some GOP dignitary this summer.  Or anyone, really.  Just describe the policies and ticket statuses more clearly.  "Activated" can't mean multiple things.

^The reason you got busted is because the Red Line is POP. You are obligated to pay or use up a trip before entering a Red Line platform.  Going through the turnstiles when exiting at Tower City is just a way to ensure compliance; it's not supposed to be an opportunity to pay. Sounds like RTA needs to make this clearer. It's not exactly intuitive in light of the similar-looking, but different light rail payment routine.

Actually I approached the nearest officer and asked for help using my prepaid pass, and their response was to arrest me.

 

Normally with POP you don't have to scan a ticket to get through a turnstile.  On the red line you do, sometimes.  And with a 5 ride pass, or any kind of pass, you have already paid.  It's just that, uniquely to the 5 ride pass, you sometimes you use a turnstile based machine to scan it and other times use a very different looking machine.  However, if you use the other type of machine and you're going downtown, you still scan your pass through the turnstile device in addition to the other machine.  However, you do it differently than if you were departing from downtown.  In this instance you scan it through another type of slot, as if it were not a 5 ride pass.  So sometimes you use the pass once, and other times you use the pass twice.  Sometimes you use the turnstile device in one manner, other times you use it in a different manner.  The rules change depending on where you're going and where you're leaving from.  Simple as pie.

 

My mistake was thinking that a turnstile scan device was used for the same purpose in both directions, and not knowing what the small machine at the other station was for. 

327, we're not going to debate the merits of the proof of payment system, or adjudicate your particular case, in this thread. Let's stay on topic, please.

 

Straphanger, I appreciate your well-phrased comments. I'll have some responses later today or tomorrow.

I agree with the sentiment that how to pay needs to be spelled out more clearly.  To add to StrapHanger's list of ways to pay, the Waterfront line is another style of payment that is confusing.  For instance, when do you pay if you board a Waterfront line train and continue riding it east of tower city as either a green or a blue line train?

 

There are a lot of combinations and confusing situations and I understand it's not easy to describe them all on the website.  One idea I had was to make it part of the trip planner.  You enter a route and as part of the directions it tells you exactly what you need to do, how much, and when to pay.  It could even allow you to choose your desired method of payment (monthly pass, 5 trip, day pass, pay cash, etc) so you could plan ahead of time what way you want to pay.

^building off that idea, if you want to get younger people to use rta more, set up an app.  The app would be the trip planner with ticket purchase option. It would create an e-boarding pass that they could show to whoever or have scanned like getting on airplanes.

I think it would be helpful if fare payment instructions were also listed on the pages for each route. For example, on this page for the Green Line (http://www.riderta.com/routes/greenline), indicate clearly how the fare is paid on the train when exiting west bound and when entering east bound. On the Red Line page (http://www.riderta.com/routes/redline), indicate that you should buy a farecard before boarding at each station.

 

My overall problem with RTA's website is that it is wayyyyyyy too text heavy. The fare payment page, for example, would be a great opportunity to use graphics to help explain the process. The RTA Twitter handle also regularly tweets out a link to this page: http://www.riderta.com/safety/healthline. If I open that from Twitter, there is no chance that I am reading all of that text. These are things that would be better conveyed using graphics with minimal text.

Not strictly a web page suggestion, but in light 327's experience and similar confusion, below are my suggestions for a clear sign that should be at every Red Line station outside the fare-paid zone. Not sure what's posted there now, so this might not be terribly helpful. My guess is that whatever's there now isn't as clear.

 

Before entering this part of the station, you must:

 

1. Have a valid and activated all-day, weekly or monthly pass.

You can purchases passes in the ticket vending machine [on your left].

Before entering the station, new passes must be activated in the [distinctive color] machine to your right].

 

OR

 

2. Purchase a one-ride ticket from the ticket vending machine [on your left].

One-ride tickets are only valid immediately after being purchased, so cannot be purchased for future trips, and do not allow transfers to other RTA routes.

 

OR

 

3. Deduct a trip from a valid 2-trip or 5-trip card [in the [distinctive color] machine to your right.]

Trip cards cannot be purchased at this station, but are available on-line, at area retailers, and at the RTA service center.

Deducting a trip allows you to transfer to other RTA routes for the next [2 hours] without using additional trips.

 

You must retain your ticket, pass, or trip card for the duration of your trip and may be asked by RTA to show it at any time. If you exit at Tower City, you will need your ticket, pass, or trip card to exit the station.

 

If you do not already have a valid pass, a purchased ticket, or trip card with a recently deducted trip when inside a Red Line station or train, you are breaking the law and are subject to arrest and a $[] fine.

 

 

EDIT: I'm not sure I have all the details right in here (maybe all-day passes are automatically activated when you buy them?), but this is just meant to suggest how the options can be broken down and coupled with clear instructions. The same instructions can be posted at HL stations, but the lead-in changed to "before entering a HealthLine vehicle" or whatever.]

Good god none of that is intuitive.

327, we're not going to debate the merits of the proof of payment system, or adjudicate your particular case, in this thread. Let's stay on topic, please.

 

Pleasant greetings to you too.

 

"POP" can't mean multiple things, any more than "activated" can.  I was talking about a type of pass that has to be scanned whenever it's used, not debating the merits of POP.  RTA had an opportunity to discuss my experience privately when I submitted a complaint through its website, but chose not to.  My suggestion for the website is to remove the line from the feedback form that says RTA's goal is to respond within 10 business days.  There's no need to create unrealistic expectations.

 

Also, feel free to use any or all of my text here to explain the usage of a 5 ride pass on the website.  Here's the website's current text:

PROOF OF PAYMENT: The Red Line Rapid and HealthLine BRT on Euclid Avenue use a Proof of Payment system. Be sure you pay your fare before you board. Ticket vending machines (TVMs) are located inside all Red Line Rapid Stations, and all HealthLine stations. Retain your activated farecard or pass until you exit the system.

 

This text does not even mention 5 ride passes, and more importantly, does not mention the additional step on the additional machine that's necessary to avoid getting arrested at Tower City.  It doesn't mention that machine at all.  It's also not clear what distinguishes an "activated farecard" from a "pass."  Based on this text, I thought I was OK buying a 5 ride pass from the fare machine, getting on the train, and scanning it at Tower City... just like the weekly or monthly passes I typically use.  Boy was I wrong.

Good god none of that is intuitive.

 

None of what is intuitive? Please be specific about who and what you are responding to.

Responding to Strap

^I can't tell if you're commenting on the system or my proposed instructions. I think my instructions are clearer than anything else I've seen.

 

I actually find RTA's POP system pretty intuitive at this point. The confusion seems to be the ambiguity about the word "payment." Any time you have media with stored credit, like trip cards and passes, it isn't really the act of payment RTA is verifying, but rather the act of devoting the credit you've already purchased towards that trip. You need to do that before you start your trip. It's really no different from traditional turnstile systems, but the lack of entry turnstile at most stations sort of obscures this.

It just sounds pretty complicated online, and I still don't understand the whole activation requirements. The process just seems far more intuitive in other markets. There's no way my elderly parents would understand your simplified instructions.

Strap your proposed instructions are the best I've seen.  Not quite complete, because there are other options and terms that would need to be addressed. 

 

For instance, sometimes you are given the choice of "activated" or not.  If you buy a 5 ride pass "activated" it comes out with 4 rides left, and in that particular instance, you do not need to use the secondary machine.  Depending on which machine you bought it from, the time printed on it may be completely random, so the two hour window that it remains "activated" for transfer purposes is not easy to discern.  Presumably, after that two hour window, the pass switches from "activated" to "deactivated" status, then becomes "activated" again upon the next scan.  This is not explained when you purchase it as "activated" the way you would any other pass, or farecard as the case may be. 

 

I think the first step to any of this is to standardize the terminology.  I guess I don't understand what POP means either, since the systems for the red line and the health line are quite distinct, even though the website text suggests they're identical.  The red line almost always involves a traditional scan-your-pass process, and I had thought the core concept of POP was to avoid that, so I've never thought of the red line as POP.

[EDIT: ^I think you are exactly right that RTA compounds the confusion by selling both activated and unactivated fare media. Too much variation and too many choices. As I mention below, one solution would be to standardize this, preferably by only selling unactivated fare media and requiring everyone to validate when entering a station. That would remove a lot of of confusion, I suspect.]

 

 

^^Conceptually, it's the same on pretty much every major rail system. Buying fares is a separate process from using them. Like in NYC, you pay at machines and then deduct or activate or prove your pass is valid at turnstiles. What's specifically confusing about the Red Line is (1) most stations don't have turnstiles, so there's no mechanical requirement to use fares when entering, (2) in some cases, RTA's machines combine the act of paying and using, like a bus fare box, and (3) you have to prove you used a fare when exiting turnstiles at Tower City (this is also done in some other system).

 

The simplest solution would be to go all the way in decoupling the process of buying fares from using them, the way it is in major subway systems. Have the TVMs sell only un-validated/unused tickets, cards, and passes, and then add turnstiles* to every station and require people to swipe whatever they have to enter. Even if unpoliced and easily jumped, this would at least make the process crystal clear. Adding those turnstiles would cost money, of course, which is one reason why RTA chose to go POP, but it doesn't mean having to staff those stations, so maybe it wouldn't be all that much.

 

*They wouldn't even have to be full turnstiles. Just entry points with a validation machine and a requirement that everyone use it as they enter, so everyone with a trip card deducts a trip; everyone with a new pass has their pass activated; everyone with a one trip ticket has it processed.

The red line almost always involves a traditional scan-your-pass process, and I had thought the core concept of POP was to avoid that, so I've never thought of the red line as POP.

 

The only place that is the case is at Tower City. No other station along the line requires you to swipe your card at a turnstile.

Gotcha.  I'm increasingly mystified about the definition of POP though, since a large proportion of red line trips begin with a turnstile scan, and an even larger proportion involve one.  Sure, if you go from W 117 to E 105 you won't see a turnstile, but what proportion of trips is like that?

 

The health line represents my understanding of POP, where you have a pass (farecard?) but you almost never do anything with it. 

A few responses to what's been shared so far (and my apologies for not having this posted sooner):

 

I'm going to temporarily set aside the discussion of the fares, how to ride, and how to pay pages. Not because I think they're unimportant - nothing could be further from the truth. I actually want to spend a little more time collecting not only my thoughts, but the thoughts of other folks who more closely work with our fare collection on a daily basis.

 

Something I'd like to clarify in that regard -- we need to concentrate on accurately describing the system as it exists today. Suggestions on how the system might be refined, simplified, or improved, while valid, are not within the scope of this conversation. For purposes of this conversation, assume that the system as it currently exists cannot be changed.

 

System maps: Yes, it is still true that the PDF system map, due to limited resources, is updated no more than annually. Change is coming, in multiple forms. My personal impression of PDFs has always been that they have limited utility on web, and on the mobile web, even less so. However, in an organization that for so many years was, and all too often continues to be, print-centric, PDF is "easy". That doesn't make it right. It needs to be fixed, and it will be fixed.

 

I don't have an exact timetable, but your complaints about the rail system map have been heard. Something that complicates the implementation of this physical map is the fact that it exists in multiple media, displayed at multiple aspect ratios, with multiple depths of information, across multiple locations. Standards are great -- we've got dozens of them ;-). I'm keeping abreast of this one, and will let you know what transpires.

 

A diagrammatic frequency map, or some adaptation thereof, is being looked at. One issue with frequency maps is that, especially in a system like ours, frequencies are not static. They vary by time of day, with some routes peaking to high frequency only at rush hour. The interlining of our routes, to achieve peak utilization of the limited resources we have, can also sometimes result in irregular peaks and valleys in the frequency. A question I posit to you is: in a frequency map, how close is "close enough" when stating a route's frequency?

 

As far as an app is concerned: we, as an organization, need to be able to reach out to the broadest audience possible. Websites are the original cross-platform app. Our website is improving steadily in the information it provides, and the manner in which it provides that information. We encourage outside app developers to remix our schedule data, available at http://www.riderta.com/sites/default/files/gtfs/latest/google_transit.zip, into their own apps. Beyond that, we do not presently have a real-time API available to outside developers.

 

Smartcard/smartphone tickets: Stay tuned. Watch for an announcement of a pilot project coming soon.

 

Text-heaviness of the site: Yes. It is. I agree 100%. A portion of this is related to our requirement to be ADA Section 508 compliant as far as accessibility is concerned. Again, as with PDF, text is "easy". This may not make it right, and writing for the web is far different, even in an accessibility situation, than writing for hardcopy. Your concerns, and suggestions, have my support.

 

I think this initially addresses most or all of the non-fare, non-how-to-pay, non-how-to-ride concerns. More to follow.

 

FYI, I will be out of town and likely offline the week of 5/8.

Thank you for the detailed response and for taking feedback seriously, JeTDoG[/member]. It is appreciated.

^^Indeed. A sincere thank you for taking this on!

A few responses to what's been shared so far (and my apologies for not having this posted sooner):

.....We encourage outside app developers to remix our schedule data, available at http://www.riderta.com/sites/default/files/gtfs/latest/google_transit.zip, into their own apps. Beyond that, we do not presently have a real-time API available to outside developers....

 

Thanks JetDog for your responses. I am extremely pleased to hear that you encourage outside developers to utilize the GTFS files.

I've noticed that you're (RTA) are updating the GTFS files (thank you again!) and fixed one error that I noticed in a more recent issue. A couple questions: I assume that (DNU) in the stops file means 'Do Not use'? Is this correct? Also, Who should I contact for other GTFS questions in the future?

A few responses to what's been shared so far (and my apologies for not having this posted sooner):

.....We encourage outside app developers to remix our schedule data, available at http://www.riderta.com/sites/default/files/gtfs/latest/google_transit.zip, into their own apps. Beyond that, we do not presently have a real-time API available to outside developers....

 

Thanks JetDog for your responses. I am extremely pleased to hear that you encourage outside developers to utilize the GTFS files.

I've noticed that you're (RTA) are updating the GTFS files (thank you again!) and fixed one error that I noticed in a more recent issue. A couple questions: I assume that (DNU) in the stops file means 'Do Not use'? Is this correct? Also, Who should I contact for other GTFS questions in the future?

 

We update those files... periodically. I can't say there's a regular schedule to the updates, but I will say we update in advance of any major quarterly change. I'm working on a set this week that will incorporate the changes to the Red Line that are coming May 8 (removal of the slow zone westbound from W 25 to W 65). Unfortunately, due to the rate at which Google processes the updates, the changes will not be reflected in trip plans until about May 11, or three days after they become effective. This is atypical. Usually, we update no later than 10 days before the service change, so that the new information becomes available about 4 days before the change.

 

You are correct in your assessment of the meaning of DNU. These are stops that exist in our system, but are pending removal. We alter the stop assignments for DNU-coded stops so that they are not used in the trip-planning process. Unfortunately, such filtering does not take place in NextConnect, so any real-time inquiries will still list the DNU stops as available options.

 

I'm probably your best source for GTFS-related questions. I've been working with the GTFS files since we started supplying them to Google in 2008 (I was the point man for making that process happen).

On the red line with East Cleveland mayor Gary Norton. Good to see a t least one politician believes in public transit.

 

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^OMG, take a cellphone photo of Mr. Norton and frame it, for a Cleveland area politician to actually RIDE the Rapid, let alone give a public damn about it, is as extinct and rare as the Dodo Bird.

^OMG, take a cellphone photo of Mr. Norton and frame it, for a Cleveland area politician to actually RIDE the Rapid, let alone give a public damn about it, is as extinct and rare as the Dodo Bird.

I honestly wanted to take a photo of it but he was with his family so I didn't want to see like a creep lol. He even said that he was going to take his young daughters to the flats and ride the mysterious Waterfront line! *Gasp* lol

 

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Interesting quote from the article "Cleveland Rising" in The American Conservative, of all places:

 

"The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority recently cut service and raised fares to compensate for a $7 million budget shortfall; thanks to the state’s double-dipping on Medicaid sales tax revenue, it is likely to lose $18 million annually beginning next year. Public transit in Cleveland is rarely reliable and is now inching toward anemic, though a quarter of residents don’t own cars. In spite of this, the Ohio Department of Transportation recently announced that it would be paying $281 million to build a third span of the Valley View bridge in order to re-deck the existing two bridges and expand the overpass’ capacity. Though messes like this one lay at the feet of Gov. John Kasich, the city is largely responsible for pushing the Opportunity Corridor, a new $331 million, 3.5-mile boulevard through its east side that flies in the face of all accumulated conventional knowledge about the destructive consequences of urban freeway construction. Businesses affected by the Opportunity Corridor are already closing. Given the phenomenon of induced demand, it is not likely that either project will actually add roadway capacity for generations, as its leaders claim."

http://www.theamericanconservative.com/urbs/cleveland-rising/

^I neglected the lead in paragraph to the above which gives a clearer picture:

 

"Decentralization has plagued Cleveland since the 1940s, and is alive and well today. Kerr writes in Derelict Paradise that factories were located near where people lived for easy, on-foot access. Cars rendered this spatial relationship moot, and are still ruling the day. Per a Cleveland Fed study, “Jobs are the least accessible for workers with only a high school degree and for positions that pay less than $1,250/month. Workers in Cuyahoga County have the highest levels of job access, but also experience the largest differences in access across skill levels.” The employment sprawl isn’t stopping."

 

http://www.theamericanconservative.com/urbs/cleveland-rising/

If one was to extend the Red Line out to Euclid, where would the station be?  Just curious what some opinions/options might be.  Yes, yes, the likelihood if this ever happening is slight at best, but if it were done, where would it be?  Somewhere near the mall seems like it might work, and maybe some of that land can be repurposed.  Who knows, though?

If one was to extend the Red Line out to Euclid, where would the station be?  Just curious what some opinions/options might be.  Yes, yes, the likelihood if this ever happening is slight at best, but if it were done, where would it be?  Somewhere near the mall seems like it might work, and maybe some of that land can be repurposed.  Who knows, though?

 

A station at the Euclid Park-n-Ride, expanded with a parking deck, was proposed. If the owner/developer of Euclid Square Mall was interested in a station at or even inside the mall (or if something was ever proposed to replace it), I'm sure GCRTA would entertain the idea.

From an e-mail sent this morning....

 

You are receiving this message as you have either attended a public meeting for the Red Line HealthLine Extension Study, or signed up for updates through our project website.  After several years of hard work, analysis and collaboration, the Study has come to a close. The Final Report and Executive Summary, which provides a quick project overview, can be downloaded at the link below. The Executive Summary is also attached for your convenience.

   

We truly appreciate your interest in this study and participation in this public process.  Although we did not select a preferred alternative, the study resulted in multiple beneficial projects that can be pursued once the financial climate changes. 

 

Again, we thank you for your participation and look forward to collaborating with you again in the future.

   

http://www.riderta.com/majorprojects/redlinehealthlineextension#multi-section-tab10

They rate the Red Line extension as the lowest for TOD. Interesting.

^^TLDR:  "However, with documented need for RTA to allocate resources to bringing the transit system into a state of good repair (replacing the aging rail fleet and maintaining existing services) coupled with the medium-low ratings, none of the Build alternatives are being pursued at this time. The benefits created by each of the four remaining alternatives must be put on hold until the RTA financial condition and availability of other funding sources is present."

None of this is surprising.

Oh, and then there's this out the door:

 

"NOACA is in the process of updating the region’s Long Range Transportation Plan for 2040.  NOACA is the Metropolitan Planning Organization for Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga, Lorain, and Medina counties. The primary job of its 45-member board, comprised largely of top elected and public agency officials, is to allocate billions of federal and state transportation dollars that flow into the region every decade. The updated long range transportation plan will focus on improving social equity, particularly for households without cars. The Red Line/HealthLine Extension Study has documented how sprawling development patterns and the outmigration of population from Cuyahoga County to outlying counties has had a detrimental impact on public transit services. RTA and community leaders are actively seeking ways to increase state and local support for increased transit funding. Without additional funding, transit service and infrastructure will continue to decline. What’s Next? Gain support for increased transit funding from state and local partners, Continue project planning efforts to improve FTA ratings, Select a recommended alternative, Study alternatives in smaller investment segments, Work with local communities to plan and participate in funding transit investments, Continue to develop transit-oriented development opportunities, and Develop policies that support transit with community partners."

 

 

Seemed they could have put it more succinctly:  "blah, blah, blah, ..."

I don't think was the place for an elevator speech.

Brunswick City Council approves bus service merger with Medina County Transit https://t.co/DpAVq1929l via @brianlisik