Yeah, the hourly non peak 55 just doesn't cut it. They are often over crowded, however the articulated buses should help solve this in the future. I'd also like to see the return of weekend service. This is a significant investment to Clifton Blvd, so we should at least have service comparable to 2009 levels with all the infrastructure dollars being spent.

 

I am bummed that this project is now projected to be completed more than a year later than originally promised. I can't help but wonder though if the timeline given is a little more "generous" to give wiggle room for unanticipated problems and delays.

 

Has anyone heard anything about returning to seven day a week service?

 

The project page on the RTA website doesn't indicate so.

 

http://www.riderta.com/majorprojects/cliftonblvd

 

They point out that frequency will be every 10 minutes during rush hour. On the schedule now, I count 12 55 buses and 5 55F buses between 7 and 9:30am. That's a little better than a 10 minute frequency right now, however I'm not sure how they will figure the 55F buses into this project.

 

I do, however, wish the ground breaking last month was an actual ground breaking! That event last month was nothing more than a ceremonial teaser. I can't wait to see Clifton ripped up and ready to go!

I do, however, wish the ground breaking last month was an actual ground breaking! That event last month was nothing more than a ceremonial teaser. I can't wait to see Clifton ripped up and ready to go!

 

Ditto.  That stretch of Clifton is such a heavily traveled gateway in & out of the city, it should absolutely look (and FUNCTION) better

Good thing Cleveland has no traffic. :roll: This was Clifton Boulevard this morning. I was able to walk faster than the traffic was moving.....

 

KJP - It's all in the timing. I was able to breeze right through that stretch at 7:10 this morning.

 

BTW - they have had orange barrels sitting on the curb by all the Lakewood bus stops for the past week or so. I assume they are going to be digging up the curb lanes soon for the reinforced bus stops?

KJP - It's all in the timing. I was able to breeze right through that stretch at 7:10 this morning.

 

 

Just as its easier to drive at 7:10 a.m. in most other cities.

Good thing Cleveland has no traffic. :roll: This was Clifton Boulevard this morning. I was able to walk faster than the traffic was moving.....

 

 

That's due to the Innerbelt lane closures right?  Seems like everyone is trying to find a way around and getting off at 117th or W. Blvd then going to Clifton is a popular detour...

 

That's due to the Innerbelt lane closures right?  Seems like everyone is trying to find a way around and getting off at 117th or W. Blvd then going to Clifton is a popular detour...

 

That may be contributing. But it's pretty common for morning traffic to back up past my building which is just beyond the older building in the foreground. So it is worse that usual, but not significantly worse.

The construction on Lake Rd in Cleveland is probably contributing to the extra Clifton Blvd traffic

BTW, the Inner Belt work is going to last a LONG time as this is all related to the second bridge. And that is going to coincide with the Enhance Clifton construction. So I understand why they're working on Lake now because that's going to get a lot of Clifton's traffic during its own construction. Going to be a tough next year or so.

 

That's due to the Innerbelt lane closures right?  Seems like everyone is trying to find a way around and getting off at 117th or W. Blvd then going to Clifton is a popular detour...

 

That may be contributing. But it's pretty common for morning traffic to back up past my building which is just beyond the older building in the foreground. So it is worse that usual, but not significantly worse.

 

It most definitely is contributing.  West Blvd is packed every morning now with commuters side-stepping north to the Shoreway to avoid the innerbelt.

 

That's due to the Innerbelt lane closures right?  Seems like everyone is trying to find a way around and getting off at 117th or W. Blvd then going to Clifton is a popular detour...

 

That may be contributing. But it's pretty common for morning traffic to back up past my building which is just beyond the older building in the foreground. So it is worse that usual, but not significantly worse.

 

It most definitely is contributing.  West Blvd is packed every morning now with commuters side-stepping north to the Shoreway to avoid the innerbelt.

 

And how does all this construction coincide with the Shoreway being slowed down? 

the boulevard construction planned for the Shoreway & Clifton will eliminate the possibility of this, but I'd love to see this artery have the inner lanes be "flexible" for incoming & outgoing traffic.  Morning traffic would have 4 lanes in/2 lanes out.  Afternoon traffic would be the opposite.  Same lane miles, more efficient.  Could probably be done with minimal signal improvements

the boulevard construction planned for the Shoreway & Clifton will eliminate the possibility of this, but I'd love to see this artery have the inner lanes be "flexible" for incoming & outgoing traffic.  Morning traffic would have 4 lanes in/2 lanes out.  Afternoon traffic would be the opposite.  Same lane miles, more efficient.  Could probably be done with minimal signal improvements

 

No thanks.  It makes basically a freeway, and your average American driver has a hard time comprehending such signaling.  Apparently a green arrow and red X are confusing.  You must be too young to remember Carnegie in this configuration, where someone would always end up going the wrong way at rush hour.

^I remember Carnegie configured with red X's and green arrows.  God forbid if you forgot what time things shifted!!!

 

For me there is only one answer to dealing with all of the construction, whether Lake, Clifton or the Innerbelt, just get up earlier!

^Those were the good ol days.

 

That's due to the Innerbelt lane closures right?  Seems like everyone is trying to find a way around and getting off at 117th or W. Blvd then going to Clifton is a popular detour...

 

That may be contributing. But it's pretty common for morning traffic to back up past my building which is just beyond the older building in the foreground. So it is worse that usual, but not significantly worse.

 

It most definitely is contributing.  West Blvd is packed every morning now with commuters side-stepping north to the Shoreway to avoid the innerbelt.

 

West Blvd has always been popular as commuter short cut to downtown, but the increase in traffic the past few years has been very noticeable. The increase was so dramatic that West Blvd northbound was repainted to accommodate 2 lanes between Clifton and Baltic instead of one. Both of those lanes now frequently back up to Baltic during rush hour. As a resident I'm disappointed because it's very difficult to pull out of a driveway on West Blvd now and the decision to add more lane miles on a residential street is just a giveaway to suburbanites at the expense of locals. Just note how many vehicles have 47 on their license plate. It will only get worse next month once the innerbelt lane closures are fully realized. I think you'll also see a huge increase in Shoreway utilization in the evening commute as Dead Man's curve will probably back up farther than it does already forcing more cars onto the West Shoreway where they will inevitably cut up West Blvd to Berea or 117th to reconnect with 90.

 

Then toss in enhance Clifton and the Shoreway conversion next summer and it's going to be a real treat!

 

 

Then toss in enhance Clifton and the Shoreway conversion next summer and it's going to be a real treat!

 

 

It's too bad we don't have another way to get downtown -- one that doesn't involve using any roads at all.

>:D

musky, clearly KJP was referring to people boating in from the west side to the new marina at the Rock Hall.

>:D

 

That was hilarious, and well done.

musky, clearly KJP was referring to people boating in from the west side to the new marina at the Rock Hall.

 

Private jets from Hopkins to Burke.

 

Then toss in enhance Clifton and the Shoreway conversion next summer and it's going to be a real treat!

 

 

It's too bad we don't have another way to get downtown -- one that doesn't involve using any roads at all.

 

Of course the rapid is a great alternative to the Shoreway ... that is if your ultimate destination is downtown. I would love to see a study of how much Shoreway traffic starts/ends downtown. It would not shock me at all if at least 40% of Shoreway traffic is bound for areas well beyond Cleveland. Sadly, I'm one of those folks who lives in Cleveland but work along I-271 and every morning it seems like more than half the cars keep going past the East 9th exit on their way to 90 eastbound. Unfortunately, to my dismay, there is no viable RTA option for my commute. And for many west siders who choose to live in urban walkable neighborhoods, but work in suburban office parks, the car still reigns and the Shoreway will still be full of cars no matter how easy you make public transit to Downtown.

 

I love the concept of the Enhance Clifton project, because it will make it much easier to use public transit if you are fortunate enough to work downtown. It will also encourage the west side neighborhoods to be more attractive to those who work downtown and want to select convenient and reasonably priced housing.

 

It seems in Cleveland it's been easier to bring transit to where people live, rather than bring people to where transit is.

>:D

 

RED LINE?? I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU COMMUTED BY ZIP LINE!!

 

Earlier, someone asked about enhanced 7-day-a-week service on Clifton Blvd. I  just checked, and it is as I thought.

 

A: It is way too early to tell. That determination has not yet been made.

 

Any and every increase in service costs money, and the health of the budget has to be taken into account. It would be irresponsible of RTA to determine new service now, when it would not start for a year.

 

If you have a suggestion, please let us know via e-mail. I promise to forward them on to higher-ups.

 

Thanks. [email protected]

Some scene along Clifton this fall as Enhance Clifton construction is just getting underway in some sections.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

is anything going to start on this project, this year?  I see that big sign every day but I'm dying to see some pavement get milled up and traffic rerouted.  Pavement conditions on Clifton were horrible 4 years ago

^ They have been working on the concrete bus pads for weeks in Lakewood.

is anything going to start on this project, this year?  I see that big sign every day but I'm dying to see some pavement get milled up and traffic rerouted.  Pavement conditions on Clifton were horrible 4 years ago

 

Construction work for one of the bus pads can be seen in my third photo above. Bus stops have been temporarily relocated during this work, with small paved areas on tree lawns, and much of the concrete has already been poured for the new bus pads. I suspect this work will be done (weather permitting) by Christmas.

 

The Cleveland side probably will not see construction until spring, but some site work in preparation for the removal of pavement on Clifton will probably occur during the winter.

Discussion of business-related developments on Clifton "near" West 117th were moved to:

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,925.0.html

This project has officially begun.  Crews are removing some trees along the route.  Kind of sad, but I guess some trees get in the way of progress.

This project has officially begun.  Crews are removing some trees along the route.  Kind of sad, but I guess some trees get in the way of progress.

 

It just started on the Cleveland side with the tree removals, but it started last fall on the Lakewood side with the installation of bus pads on the outside lanes at bus stops, as well as placing the foundations for the new bus shelters.

This project has officially begun.  Crews are removing some trees along the route.  Kind of sad, but I guess some trees get in the way of progress.

 

It just started on the Cleveland side with the tree removals, but it started last fall on the Lakewood side with the installation of bus pads on the outside lanes at bus stops, as well as placing the foundations for the new bus shelters.

 

You are absolutely correct KJP.  But since those Lakewood folks turned down most of the project, I was focused on the Cleveland side. ;)

You are absolutely correct KJP.  But since those Lakewood folks turned down most of the project, I was focused on the Cleveland side. ;)

 

So is Cudell Improvement Inc. From their email newsletter sent today.....

 

Enhance Clifton Project Underway

 

Work is underway on the EnhanceClifton Transportation Enhancement Project that is a joint endeavor of RTA, ODOT and the city of Cleveland.  The project will result in improved transportation waiting environments, synchronized traffic signals, landscaped medians and a slightly widened roadway.  Go to www.EnhanceClifton.com for full details.

I've been extremely excited and anxious for this project to finish for years. However, I was shocked to see SO MANY beautiful mature trees chopped down! I attended several of the town hall meetings and this was never brought up. I can understand a tree or two, but wow, they've ripped out a lot so far. It's a shame they couldn't they have just made the median the size of the current turn lane and leave the road width as is.

 

Hopefully the plantings they do in the median aren't too small. But nonetheless it'll likely be at least a decade (or two) before the trees planted mature out.

 

 

Forgive me for not paying attention to this project as I should be as a Gordon square resident, but are bike lanes part of the project?

Forgive me for not paying attention to this project as I should be as a Gordon square resident, but are bike lanes part of the project?

 

Bike lanes are not a part of the project.  To do so would require more width, and all the trees would have to come down!

You are absolutely correct KJP.  But since those Lakewood folks turned down most of the project, I was focused on the Cleveland side. ;)

 

Lakewood side isn't street damaged or aesthetically challenged like the Cleveland side. It would have been a waste to tear up Clifton west of 117.

^ Lakewood did not want to pay for the median.  And that's fine.  But to say Cleveland's section of Clifton is "aesthetically challenged" is a strange statement on it's own.

 

Maybe a matter of opinion. Some of the Cleveland side looks "tired" to me. The Lakewood side looks much more well-kept. And that's only natural because those are private residences for a greater percentage.

 

Only a few of the businesses on the Cleveland side seemed to take much pride in the streetfront, ie Truffles.

Truffles?  You mean the new vegan food place?

 

I think the median would look nice in Lakewood but I understand why they didn't do it.  Anything beyond that seems superfluous.

 

Maybe a matter of opinion. Some of the Cleveland side looks "tired" to me. The Lakewood side looks much more well-kept. And that's only natural because those are private residences for a greater percentage.

 

 

And because it is likely a lower-income area. That's life. We'll see how it turns out when it's done. Kinda hard to judge Clifton before the construction really gets going and produces spin-off investment in the coming years.

 

It's also kinda hard to judge Clifton when it looks like this.....

 

 

 

 

Maybe a matter of opinion. Some of the Cleveland side looks "tired" to me. The Lakewood side looks much more well-kept. And that's only natural because those are private residences for a greater percentage.

 

Only a few of the businesses on the Cleveland side seemed to take much pride in the streetfront, ie Truffles.

 

Clifton through Lakewood was also resurfaced in the last two years, while east of 117th hasn't been touched, and bears more of the traffic.

 

And because it is likely a lower-income area. That's life. We'll see how it turns out when it's done. Kinda hard to judge Clifton before the construction really gets going and produces spin-off investment in the coming years.

 

 

Actually, the census tract on either side of Clifton in Cleveland has a higher median household income than the tracts on either side of Clifton in Lakewood.  The tracts surrounding the Edgewater tract in Cleveland are significantly poorer, though.

There's also a sort of "drive-by" optical illusion. The set backs on Clifton in Cleveland are much closer and as you drive westward become exceedingly farther from the road in Lakewood. Lakewood also has a better stock of mature trees and has done a much better job at maintaining them than Cleveland has along Clifton. Otherwise the housing stock is pretty much the same. If you're on foot, the section of Clifton between West Blvd and West 105th is extremely well maintained, with wonderful landscaping, homes kept up, and of course the Wine Bar/Coffee Shop. I'd say that West 103rd between Clifton and Baltic likely has the best maintained non cookie cutter "middle class" housing stock in the city (i.e. 1500 sq ft 1920s homes).

 

But bringing this back to the Enhance Clifton part, once completed in Cleveland, there'll be a noticeable "seam" between the two cities. I think this is a good thing for Cleveland to differentiate itself from its neighbor. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people refer to Don's Lighthouse, Starbucks, Clifton Wine Bar, Diner on Clifton, etc as being in Lakewood.

 

Actually, the census tract on either side of Clifton in Cleveland has a higher median household income than the tracts on either side of Clifton in Lakewood.  The tracts surrounding the Edgewater tract in Cleveland are significantly poorer, though.

 

Interesting! Is the Edgewater tract along Edgewater Drive?

 

But bringing this back to the Enhance Clifton part, once completed in Cleveland, there'll be a noticeable "seam" between the two cities. I think this is a good thing for Cleveland to differentiate itself from its neighbor. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people refer to Don's Lighthouse, Starbucks, Clifton Wine Bar, Diner on Clifton, etc as being in Lakewood.

 

Same with Shaker Square. I've heard far too many people say it's in Shaker Heights! Maybe Cleveland can do some branding along Clifton as part of this project? Such as pole banners extolling "The Edge of Cleveland" or "Edgewater-Cudell, we're Cleveland -- not Lakewood, dammit!" :)

 

Interesting! Is the Edgewater tract along Edgewater Drive?

 

 

Yeah, it does include Edgewater Drive.  It goes from the lakeshore and runs south of Clifton, stopping at the railroad tracks, and then west from W. 117th staying north of the tracks and ending at the point made by the tracks and Lake Avenue near the entrance to the shoreway (tract 1011.02, if you have a census tract map somewhere). 

 

Actually, the census tract on either side of Clifton in Cleveland has a higher median household income than the tracts on either side of Clifton in Lakewood.  The tracts surrounding the Edgewater tract in Cleveland are significantly poorer, though.

 

Interesting! Is the Edgewater tract along Edgewater Drive?

 

But bringing this back to the Enhance Clifton part, once completed in Cleveland, there'll be a noticeable "seam" between the two cities. I think this is a good thing for Cleveland to differentiate itself from its neighbor. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people refer to Don's Lighthouse, Starbucks, Clifton Wine Bar, Diner on Clifton, etc as being in Lakewood.

 

Same with Shaker Square. I've heard far too many people say it's in Shaker Heights! Maybe Cleveland can do some branding along Clifton as part of this project? Such as pole banners extolling "The Edge of Cleveland" or "Edgewater-Cudell, we're Cleveland -- not Lakewood, dammit!" :)

Which drives me insane!  if I had $1 for every time I had to correct someone and inform them that Shaker Square is in Cleveland, I could afford to buy Shaker Square!

^What's even worse is when you see promotional and/or tourist publications that refer to Shaker Square as being in Shaker Heights.  You wonder if it is a mistake or an accident-on-purpose with an agenda.

^What's even worse is when you see promotional and/or tourist publications that refer to Shaker Square as being in Shaker Heights.  You wonder if it is a mistake or an accident-on-purpose with an agenda.

 

Probably to say it's in the Shaker schools.

 

Anyway, the subject of this thread is??

The orange barrels are booming on Clifton. Must be spring.