Tracks are back 

 

 

 

26 minutes ago, cadmen said:

I hate to say it but I've given up on getting any kind of rail transit here. It costs WAY too much per mile (it shouldn't but it does in modern America) and there just isn't the political support. At the rate funding is going we'll be lucky to hang on to what we have. 

 

I had a visitor in from Boston last week. I suggested we take the train from West 117th to Little Italy. Riding in we were forced to get off at Tower City because of some reason l never did get an answer too. Forced to take the bus down Euclid and man is that street a mishmash of repaired concrete. Newish road. What a joke.

 

I gave up years ago on seriously ever expecting to see rail expansion in Greater Cleveland. The only chance is a relatively small project like extending the Waterfront Line as a downtown loop or rerouting the Blue Line to University Circle/Cleveland Clinic. And even then you'll have to drag RTA into it, kicking and screaming. 

 

As soon as I read that you were taking RTA from West 117th to Little Italy, I reacted "oh no!" All this month, RTA is replacing track between Tower City and East 55th and doing an awful job informing the public about it. I'm surprised you didn't take the 67R shuttle bus from Prospect/West 3rd to East 55th.

^ RTA did offer a bus but l thought it would be easier to just take the one down Euclid. Don't know which one would have been faster but time wasn't of the essence. At any rate as far as I'm concerned most any bus doesn't compare to a train. I'm like a little kid...l love the train. Busses are just a means to get there but trains...trains are just cool. At least they are to me.

Hey Ken, you mentioned the repairs are taking place in June. I have more people coming in July 3rd for a week. Do you think the train will be ready to take us to Little Italy then? 

6 hours ago, KJP said:

As soon as I read that you were taking RTA from West 117th to Little Italy, I reacted "oh no!" All this month, RTA is replacing track between Tower City and East 55th and doing an awful job informing the public about it. I'm surprised you didn't take the 67R shuttle bus from Prospect/West 3rd to East 55th.

Does it really take a month to replace a couple miles of track?    Are they doing it by hand?  

Well, that's how the railroads were made originally. Can't beat the classics. 

5 hours ago, cadmen said:

Hey Ken, you mentioned the repairs are taking place in June. I have more people coming in July 3rd for a week. Do you think the train will be ready to take us to Little Italy then? 

 

@cadmen Not unless they get the work done early 

 

https://www.riderta.com/riders-alerts/buses-between-tower-city-and-east-55th-st-stations

RTA board to consider giving CEO $56K raise as part of contract extension

https://www.cleveland.com/news/2023/06/rta-board-to-consider-giving-ceo-56k-raise-as-part-of-contract-extension.html

 

Thoughts?

I’m sorry but I’m not seeing some grand new improvement or new vision at RTA. The biggest thing to happen is the purchase of new trains. But RTA continues to fail in so many ways. 

27 minutes ago, GISguy said:

RTA board to consider giving CEO $56K raise as part of contract extension

https://www.cleveland.com/news/2023/06/rta-board-to-consider-giving-ceo-56k-raise-as-part-of-contract-extension.html

 

Thoughts?

 

The transit system has huge parking lots at its rail stations that it doesn't need anymore for downtown commuting. Where is the vision to repurpose these huge properties into transit villages where someone can carry out their daily life within 1,000 feet of each rail station?

On 6/27/2023 at 2:45 PM, GISguy said:

RTA board to consider giving CEO $56K raise as part of contract extension

https://www.cleveland.com/news/2023/06/rta-board-to-consider-giving-ceo-56k-raise-as-part-of-contract-extension.html

 

Thoughts?

...Goes with our national custom of overpaying CEOs for keeping his or her seat warm...

7 hours ago, DHubb said:

...Goes with our national custom of overpaying CEOs for keeping his or her seat warm...

Where is the public comment on this?    Everyone in the country should say no to this increase.  I'm sure the board will rubber stamp? 

If the raise is approved, RTA CEO would earn $335,000. By comparison, County Executive Ronayne earns $175,000 and Cleveland Mayor Bibb $156,000. Other transit leaders in Nashville, Chicago, Pittsburgh and down the road in Akron also earning less.

 

https://www.cleveland.com/news/2023/07/big-raise-would-make-rta-ceo-a-top-paid-public-official-transit-leader.html

58 minutes ago, KJP said:

If the raise is approved, RTA CEO would earn $335,000. By comparison, County Executive Ronayne earns $175,000 and Cleveland Mayor Bibb $156,000. Other transit leaders in Nashville, Chicago, Pittsburgh and down the road in Akron also earning less.

 

https://www.cleveland.com/news/2023/07/big-raise-would-make-rta-ceo-a-top-paid-public-official-transit-leader.html

That is absolutely insane especially because RTA is ran terribly. Why is the RTA CEO even being paid that much?

1 hour ago, JB said:

That is absolutely insane especially because RTA is ran terribly. Why is the RTA CEO even being paid that much?

 

I could probably google but I wonder if they get a private car allowance lol that'd be realllllllllllll rich.

On 6/27/2023 at 3:28 PM, KJP said:

 

The transit system has huge parking lots at its rail stations that it doesn't need anymore for downtown commuting. Where is the vision to repurpose these huge properties into transit villages where someone can carry out their daily life within 1,000 feet of each rail station?

 

Even the Lake County express bus lots have a lot more space than they need, I was thinking awhile back someone like Dunkin could locate there.

Yay! The month-long bus bridge between Tower City and East 55th Street stations ends today. All rail service runs through the east side to downtown again. 

 

However the east side Red Line will be shut down July 15-16 from Tower City to Windermere for work on the East 75th Street bridge over the tracks.

21 minutes ago, KJP said:

Yay! The month-long bus bridge between Tower City and East 55th Street stations ends today. All rail service runs through the east side to downtown again. 

 

However the east side Red Line will be shut down Aug. 15-16 from Tower City to Windermere for work on the East 75th Street bridge over the tracks.

Perfect timing for feast of assumption. 

My bad. That's July, not August.

Siemens and GCRTA issued this press release this morning but I don't see anything new in it.

 

Siemens Mobility to replace Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s Red Line fleet with 24 S200 LRVs

 

• 24 Siemens Mobility S200 LRVs to connect communities from East Cleveland to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport

• Increases fleet reliability, safety, and sustainability

 

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) has selected Siemens Mobility to replace GCRTA’s Red Line fleet. GCRTA’s purchase of 24 S200 Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) includes an option for up to 36 additional vehicles which would replace GCRTA’s Blue and Green Line fleet.

 

“These new LRVs are catalytic for the health and economics of Greater Cleveland. They will promote increased ridership and encourage transit-oriented development along the Red Line communities from East Cleveland to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport,” said GCRTA General Manager and Chief Executive Officer, India L. Birdsong Terry.

 

This achievement was made possible by the support GCRTA received from U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11), FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez, the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA), and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT).

 

“We greatly appreciate your support for the rail car replacement program and GCRTA,” added Terry. “My team looks forward to partnering with Siemens Mobility Inc. in bringing these new light rail vehicles to the greater Cleveland area.”

 

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has provided our customers the opportunity to make necessary updates to their cities’ infrastructure. We are grateful to the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority for selecting us as their partner as they continue to enhance their community with reliable, safe, and sustainable transportation,” said Michael Cahill, President of Siemens Mobility Rolling Stock in North America. “With this updated fleet of LRVs we are proud to offer passengers enhanced accessibility, technology, and safety, making their daily commutes easier and more enjoyable.” 

GCRTA’s current heavy and light rail fleets are 39 and 42 years old, exceeding the design life of typical transit passenger rail cars. Delivery of the new S200 LRVs is scheduled to be completed in four years. The new high floor vehicles will feature two door heights for high- and low-level platform accessibility, allowing the trains to operate on both the Red Line and the Blue and Green Line tracks.
The base order will serve the Red Line and as modifications to the existing platforms on the Blue and Green Lines are made, additional options may be exercised. GCRTA received a grant of $130M from the Federal Transit Administration through the FY22/23 Rail Vehicle Replacement Program, a new program created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

The S200 LRVs offer the highest standards of passenger experience: featuring a modern design with 52 easy-to-clean seats for the highest level of sanitation, additional standing room, four wheelchair areas for enhanced accessibility, two bicycle racks, and an advanced infotainment system. In addition, the vehicles will be built to withstand the coldest Cleveland days, with ice cutting technology and a modern operator cab area with a dedicated heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit, heated windshield, and enhanced visibility. The final design will be co-created by GCRTA and Siemens Mobility over the next 15-month period, before being built at Siemens Mobility’s rail manufacturing facility in Sacramento, CA.

GCRTA is the public transit agency for Cleveland, Ohio, and the surrounding suburbs of Cuyahoga County. It is the largest transit agency in Ohio, with an annual ridership of over 19 million. GCRTA is one of more than 35 transit agencies across North America benefiting from Siemens Mobility’s portfolio of rail vehicles, locomotives, components, and automation systems. American cities rely on Siemens Mobility to provide reliable, safe, and sustainable transportation solutions.
 

###

The plan is still to eventually allow for green or blue line trains to be able to transfer to the western part of the red line without riders needing to change trains, right? 

I'm holding out hope to be able to get from Shaker Square to the airport with just one train

25 minutes ago, bikemail said:

The plan is still to eventually allow for green or blue line trains to be able to transfer to the western part of the red line without riders needing to change trains, right? 

I'm holding out hope to be able to get from Shaker Square to the airport with just one train

I don't know if there is an actual plan for this but it will be a possibly with a unified fleet. 

RTA employee lurkers... What's going on here?  Twitter post today:

Where's Cleveland RTA on this? Akron RTA is offering free rides to polling locations on election day, Cleveland should be able to at least match that.

 

Laketran is offering free rides to the board of elections for those who want to vote in person early and free rides on election day to polling locations. Riders just have to tell the driver they are going to vote. 

 

1 minute ago, Luke_S said:

Akron METRO RTA, Laketran offering free rides to vote in August special election

Ideastream Public Media By Abigail Bottar

Published July 24, 2023

 

"Voters in Lake and Summit counties can get free bus rides to vote in the August special election. The hope is to make voting more accessible.

 

...

 

Akron METRO RTA has offered free bus rides for general elections since 2018, but this is the first time the transit authority will be offering free rides for a special election. Fairchild hopes the service will drum up voter engagement on Election Day.

 

...

 

Akron METRO RTA is waiving all fares for riders on August 8."

 

https://www.ideastream.org/government-politics/2023-07-24/akron-metro-rta-laketran-offering-free-rides-to-vote-in-august-special-election

 

 

I was hoping a friend of mine was going to be nominated. If named to the board, he was going to make the downtown loop a priority. Oh well.

 

 

12 minutes ago, KJP said:

I was hoping a friend of mine was going to be nominated. If named to the board, he was going to make the downtown loop a priority. Oh well.

 

 

That's funny, because Stephen Love is a friend of mine. Actually my best friend's brother. I'm seeing him Saturday so I'll whisper in his ear. Also, I'm pretty sure him and or his wife who is a big part of our lakefront plan do peruse this thread from time to time. 

 

Stephen is very pro transit and he understands the Ins and outs, that's a good pick.  

@KFM44107Please extend to him UO's congratulations! 🙂 Please ask him whatare his priorities for GCRTA? And any new projects he might be interested in (ie: issuing RFPs to develop rail station parking lots, extending the Waterfront Line as a Downtown Loop, rerouting the Blue Line from Shaker Square to UC)?

1 hour ago, KFM44107 said:

That's funny, because Stephen Love is a friend of mine. Actually my best friend's brother. I'm seeing him Saturday so I'll whisper in his ear. Also, I'm pretty sure him and or his wife who is a big part of our lakefront plan do peruse this thread from time to time. 

 

Stephen is very pro transit and he understands the Ins and outs, that's a good pick.  

I consider Stephen to be a friend as well. He is a good guy. 

On 7/24/2023 at 7:46 AM, Luke_S said:

Where's Cleveland RTA on this? Akron RTA is offering free rides to polling locations on election day, Cleveland should be able to at least match that.

 

Laketran is offering free rides to the board of elections for those who want to vote in person early and free rides on election day to polling locations. Riders just have to tell the driver they are going to vote. 

 

 

 

 

GCRTA and Laketran would likely balance each other out.    :)

Birdsong got their $56k raise last night, must be nice.

Jesus... maybe that should be discussed in the Cleveland: Crime & Safe Discussion because the city just got robbed.

 

$335,000 with incredible benefits. Somewhere Jimmy Dimora woke up with a stirring.

 

Dorval Carter at the CTA makes $350,000 with benefits. Guess our systems are comparable after all.

 

Richard Davey of MTA makes $300,000 with benefits. Who knew the RTA was so much more work.

That’s absolutely scandalous. 

Absolute insanity given the pitiful state of RTA 

1 hour ago, TBideon said:

Jesus... maybe that should be discussed in the Cleveland: Crime & Safe Discussion because the city just got robbed.

 

$335,000 with incredible benefits. Somewhere Jimmy Dimora woke up with a stirring.

 

Dorval Carter at the CTA makes $350,000 with benefits. Guess our systems are comparable after all.

 

Richard Davey of MTA makes $300,000 with benefits. Who knew the RTA was so much more work.

Maybe everyone will start moving to Cleveland to get massive raises.  DeShaun Watson, Birdsong....who's next? 

22 hours ago, KFM44107 said:

That's funny, because Stephen Love is a friend of mine. Actually my best friend's brother. I'm seeing him Saturday so I'll whisper in his ear. Also, I'm pretty sure him and or his wife who is a big part of our lakefront plan do peruse this thread from time to time. 

 

Stephen is very pro transit and he understands the Ins and outs, that's a good pick.  

 

Are they related to the Love family from Maple Heights? Dennis was police chief and later mayor, at least one of his son's was an officer.

7 minutes ago, Cleburger said:

Maybe everyone will start moving to Cleveland to get massive raises.  DeShaun Watson, Birdsong....who's next? 

 

Well DeShaun only attempted to do to masseuses (as far as we know) what Birdsong did to the taxpayers.....

8 minutes ago, E Rocc said:

 

Well DeShaun only attempted to do to masseuses (as far as we know) what Birdsong did to the taxpayers.....

"Allegedly" vs "Reality" 

1 hour ago, TBideon said:

Jesus... maybe that should be discussed in the Cleveland: Crime & Safe Discussion because the city just got robbed.

 

I'm confused how the city got robbed when it's the county who's paying her salary?

1 hour ago, E Rocc said:

 

Are they related to the Love family from Maple Heights? Dennis was police chief and later mayor, at least one of his son's was an officer.

Nah. Different Love family. 

1 hour ago, Clefan98 said:

 

I'm confused how the city got robbed when it's the county who's paying her salary?

Does it make a real difference? I, along with undoubtedly many folks, don't really discriminate between the two, and use the terms interchangibly often.

 

But fair is fair: The county is paying a king's ransom for incompetence, not just the city.

1 hour ago, TBideon said:

Does it make a real difference?

 

I think it makes a real difference considering they're completely separate entities with completely separate budgets. The city gets enough unwarranted blame, no need to pile on.

Edited July 26, 20231 yr by Clefan98

Aerozone Alliance will be second location for RTA's microtransit program

Kim Palmer | July 26th 2023

 

"The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority selected the Aerozone Alliance — an area near and around the NASA Glenn Research Center and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport — as the next location for a first/last mile, microtransit program connecting Cleveland workers to hard-to-get-to job hubs.

 

The workforce connector pilot program, announced Tuesday, July 25, is the second private-public mobility partnership with RTA and Columbus-SHARE Mobility. It joins the Solon Workforce Connector pilot, which provides on-demand shuttle service between the Maple Heights Southgate Transit Center and large employers. That pilot was announced in February.

 

The microtransit service provides employees with first/last mile transportation from the Brookpark Station in Cleveland to employment sites in the Aerozone Alliance district that currently require long walks from RTA bus stops."

 

https://www.crainscleveland.com/government/rta-expands-microtransit-program-aerozone-alliance

2 hours ago, Luke_S said:

Aerozone Alliance will be second location for RTA's microtransit program

Kim Palmer | July 26th 2023

 

"The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority selected the Aerozone Alliance — an area near and around the NASA Glenn Research Center and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport — as the next location for a first/last mile, microtransit program connecting Cleveland workers to hard-to-get-to job hubs.

 

The workforce connector pilot program, announced Tuesday, July 25, is the second private-public mobility partnership with RTA and Columbus-SHARE Mobility. It joins the Solon Workforce Connector pilot, which provides on-demand shuttle service between the Maple Heights Southgate Transit Center and large employers. That pilot was announced in February.

 

The microtransit service provides employees with first/last mile transportation from the Brookpark Station in Cleveland to employment sites in the Aerozone Alliance district that currently require long walks from RTA bus stops."

 

https://www.crainscleveland.com/government/rta-expands-microtransit-program-aerozone-alliance

 

This seems like a good spot to try something like this.  Brookpark Station is relatively close to a lot of employment, but really not walkable (and probably not bikeable) to any of it, except maybe the Ford plant.

 

Then again, a typical bus that stops at the large employers might be able to accomplish the same thing more efficiently.

If you’d like to know more about the Board’s rationale for Birdsong’s raise, here are board member Jeff Sleasman’s comments and a link directly to the part of the board meeting that summarized the compensation committee’s findings.

 

 

 

 

18 minutes ago, Boomerang_Brian said:

If you’d like to know more about the Board’s rationale for Birdsong’s raise, here are board member Jeff Sleasman’s comments and a link directly to the part of the board meeting that summarized the compensation committee’s findings.

Thank you.

 

While the new salary might be competitive with the salaries of similar positions around the country, as noted above neither the mayor of Cleveland nor the County Executive come close to that amount.  No one on this site has ever extolled any "exceptional" skills or abilities of Birdsong.  What is the Board seeing that is not known by the interested-public?

3 minutes ago, Foraker said:

Thank you.

 

While the new salary might be competitive with the salaries of similar positions around the country, as noted above neither the mayor of Cleveland nor the County Executive come close to that amount.  No one on this site has ever extolled any "exceptional" skills or abilities of Birdsong.  What is the Board seeing that is not known by the interested-public?

Professional management of government authorities can and should have different compensation structures than elected officials. Other transit authorities are the appropriate ones to compare her salary to. 

@KJPI spoke with Steven. His realistic goals are to make the entire bus system electric a la Europe with charging stations. He's a huge proponent of the new zoning and very much wants RTA to put out RFPs for land they own around stations to build dense development. His wife is working  on the lakefront plan but the secondary goal of that plan is to develop the muni lot with high rises. If that can happen then a loop from the waterfront line to the red line would then finally be a realistic discussion. Realistic funding is obviously an issue. 

Edited July 29, 20231 yr by KFM44107

Thanks. Then he's going to love the NEOtrans commentary I have scheduled to be published Aug. 3 while I'm on vacation. 

 

Based on the potential economic impact estimated in 2000 when the Downtown Loop was last studied, I think a TIF could generate nearly half of the non-federal share of capital and some of the operating costs.

15 minutes ago, KJP said:

Thanks. Then he's going to love the NEOtrans commentary I have scheduled to be published Aug. 3 while I'm on vacation. 

 

Based on the potential economic impact estimated in 2000 when the Downtown Loop was last studied, I think a TIF could generate nearly half of the non-federal share of capital and some of the operating costs.

Everything you feed me is spoken to him.