When I get concrete (no pun intended) info on the Clifton project, I will post it.

They'll happily add "Please consider the Earth before printing out this page" to emails, but they can't say "Please consider the Earth - take RTA to our event"? If we can't get the "green" people on board, how can we expect anyone else to get it?

 

Certainly the onus is on companies and event planners to do much more (if anything at all) to promote mass transit.  However, I wonder if RTA has a standard set of website "buttons"* that website developers can place on their contact/location pages that would basically send visitors to RTA's "how to ride" page or the pertinent transit route serving said location.

 

 

*(Not sure if this is the right term.  The analogue would be the small images at the bottom of weblogs that say "Powered by Moveable Type" or somesuch.)

They'll happily add "Please consider the Earth before printing out this page" to emails, but they can't say "Please consider the Earth - take RTA to our event"? If we can't get the "green" people on board, how can we expect anyone else to get it?

 

Certainly the onus is on companies and event planners to do much more (if anything at all) to promote mass transit.  However, I wonder if RTA has a standard set of website "buttons"* that website developers can place on their contact/location pages that would basically send visitors to RTA's "how to ride" page or the pertinent transit route serving said location.

 

 

*(Not sure if this is the right term.  The analogue would be the small images at the bottom of weblogs that say "Powered by Moveable Type" or somesuch.)

 

I noticed the other day that the museum of art had very outdated transit info, still referring to the #6.  You would think that not-so-small euclid corridor construction going on for years would have reminded them to mention something on their website.  Anyway, I sent them an email about listing the HealthLine and possibly RTA's trip planner and got a somewhat promising response today saying:

 

Dear Mr. ExSpectator36

 

Your welcome comments and suggestions have been forwarded to Linda Wetzel in our IT Department.  Please stay tuned.

As MTS would say, thanks for "doing something" rather than just complaining. :)

 

By the way, you have a funny last name, Mr. ExSpectator36.

They'll happily add "Please consider the Earth before printing out this page" to emails, but they can't say "Please consider the Earth - take RTA to our event"? If we can't get the "green" people on board, how can we expect anyone else to get it?

 

Certainly the onus is on companies and event planners to do much more (if anything at all) to promote mass transit. However, I wonder if RTA has a standard set of website "buttons"* that website developers can place on their contact/location pages that would basically send visitors to RTA's "how to ride" page or the pertinent transit route serving said location.

 

 

*(Not sure if this is the right term. The analogue would be the small images at the bottom of weblogs that say "Powered by Moveable Type" or somesuch.)

 

The concept of an RTA "press kit" is something that's been bounced around a few times. I suspect we'll be revisiting it shortly, and I for one will absolutely push for it. Nothing too heavy-handed, but enough to make our brand easy to consistently identify and work with.

 

As MTS would say, thanks for "doing something" rather than just complaining. :)

 

By the way, you have a funny last name.

 

:clap:

 

 

Now the problem is a disconnect between RTA, the City and Business.  Every business in Cleveland should show transit options.

 

We want people to use transit as a sole means of transportation it's got to be slapped in the face of folks.

 

Look at Boston, NYC, DC, San Fran.  When a business is listed, the Closest rail station and/or Bus route is listed with a link to that route.

 

Every business on the HealthLine should be told to do the same.  Not asked, told.

 

Jerry, what type of business coordination does RTA have to promote using the line.  Have you (RTA) reached out to company's to inquire as to why they currently do not have a public transportation information included in their business listing/website??

 

Every business in Downtown, UC, OC, SS, Tremont, D-S, Collinwood should show this information.

For events, transit directions can be put on a website with relative ease:

 

Transit directions to One Cleveland Center if you want to arrive at 5:00 PM on May 27th

 

Obviously the webmaster needs to know a little about how to plug in destinations correctly, but if RTA could figure a way to create a "code generator" that would help people out, that would be neat.  Basically have people go to the RTA site, plug in their destination address (required), arrival time (optional), hit SUBMIT, and the app spits out some HTML code to pop on the website and you get something like this, only with panache:

 

For events, transit directions can be put on a website with relative ease:

 

Transit directions to One Cleveland Center if you want to arrive at 5:00 PM on May 27th

 

Obviously the webmaster needs to know a little about how to plug in destinations correctly, but if RTA could figure a way to create a "code generator" that would help people out, that would be neat.  Basically have people go to the RTA site, plug in their destination address (required), arrival time (optional), hit SUBMIT, and the app spits out some HTML code to pop on the website and you get something like this, only with panache:

 

Dear God (pun intended), you might be on to something.

Every business on the HealthLine should be told to do the same. Not asked, told.

 

Every business in Downtown, UC, OC, SS, Tremont, D-S, Collinwood should show this information.

 

I agree that companies should include transit information. It's not difficult, and it's ridiculous that companies/organizations don't do it! This culture that is so anti-transit needs to change.

 

However, the last I checked, we live in a democracy, not a dictatorship. You can't tell businesses to do anything along these lines, and saying that they need to be FORCED to do it is ridiculous.

<<Jerry, what type of business coordination does RTA have to promote using the line.  Have you (RTA) reached out to company's to inquire as to why they currently do not have a public transportation information included in their business listing/website?? >>

 

I often fill requests from agencies and companies that want this information, and I suspect we will be doing more of it in the future. We have been trying to increase transit awareness for years, and while we are certainly not where we want to be, things are far better than they used to be.

I'd also like to offer a suggestion:

 

Perhaps RTA can work something out with Continental to mention RTA Rapid service between CLE and downtown--both on continental.com and Continental Magazine. 

 

Continental obviously needs to mention transportation between Manhattan and EWR but they also mention bus service between downtown Houston and IAH  that costs more than a cab in Cleveland!  If some p.o.s. bus service in Texas warrants attention, I don't see why $2 rapid transit from one of its hubs doesn't.    :-)

I'd also like to offer a suggestion:

 

Perhaps RTA can work something out with Continental to mention RTA Rapid service between CLE and downtown--both on continental.com and Continental Magazine. 

 

Continental obviously needs to mention transportation between Manhattan and EWR but they also mention bus service between downtown Houston and IAH  that costs more than a cab in Cleveland!  If some p.o.s. bus service in Texas warrants attention, I don't see why $2 rapid transit from one of its hubs doesn't.    :)

 

I spoke to Continental's Cleveland hub manager about this.  Sent this to RTA and Rick Smith's office.

 

This needs to be done and done NOW!  Yes I'm demanding!  :whip:

 

<<Jerry, what type of business coordination does RTA have to promote using the line.  Have you (RTA) reached out to company's to inquire as to why they currently do not have a public transportation information included in their business listing/website?? >>

 

I often fill requests from agencies and companies that want this information, and I suspect we will be doing more of it in the future. We have been trying to increase transit awareness for years, and while we are certainly not where we want to be, things are far better than they used to be.

 

They should be told and RTA needs to demand this.  We can't say we don't have a viable and valuable piece of Transportation if everyone does not participate and not on the same page.

 

Place like Yelp, facebook, myspace and twitter should also be used by RTA.

Continental obviously needs to mention transportation between Manhattan and EWR

 

They already do!  A very expensive U.S. Helicopter ride - EWR to Manhattan in 8 minutes!!!!!  I'd rather take 3 trains and save my $50 or whatever, thankyouverymuch.

 

If Case can advertise in Continental Magazine, surely RTA can too :).

Continental obviously needs to mention transportation between Manhattan and EWR

 

They already do! A very expensive U.S. Helicopter ride - EWR to Manhattan in 8 minutes!!!!! I'd rather take 3 trains and save my $50 or whatever, thankyouverymuch.

 

If Case can advertise in Continental Magazine, surely RTA can too :) .

 

It's free based on the type of ticket you purchase and much more convenient than checking in at EWR. Several airlines offer this service to both EWR and JFK, not just Continental.

 

Well, it's not free for coach :-P.  At any rate, I was merely stating that EWR also has at least one mass transit shout-out in Continental Magazine!

Dear MyTwoSense,

 

On this forum, we can talk, discuss, debate, advise, offer opinions, share facts, share observations and seek knowledge and wisdom. I am pleased to be a part of this dialogue.

 

However, in my opinion, "demand" is not a word that should be used here. If every person I speak with could "demand" I do something, there would not be enough hours in the day. You had a point to make, and you made it. Please leave the drama at home.

Dear MyTwoSense,

 

On this forum, we can talk, discuss, debate, advise, offer opinions, share facts, share observations and seek knowledge and wisdom. I am pleased to be a part of this dialogue.

 

However, in my opinion, "demand" is not a word that should be used here. If every person I speak with could "demand" I do something, there would not be enough hours in the day. You had a point to make, and you made it. Please leave the drama at home.

 

Jerry, it's not YOU that should demand anything.  My comments are not directed at YOU on a personal level in any form, fashion or shape.

 

I think you know I'm pretty straight forward, and 95% of the time I agree with many of the things you post.

 

My honest feelings are that RTA should demand that company's get on the transit bandwagon and stop thinking our transit system is just for the poor, to transit to work or or an alternative.

 

No having said that, can you tell us RTAs plans on how your working with businesses, CDCs, entertainment districts, restaurants, entertainment venues, etc., to list the healthline station, rail line station and other major lines of transit closest to their business on their websites??

 

Since positively Cleveland is sponsoring a YouTube competition on the city, might I suggest RTA join in the fun and sponsor a competition on people who ride public transportation. 

 

Exmples of things they could be required to show in their submission 

• Why they ride?
  
• What's their home station and what do they love/hate about it?
  
• Why is their station so important/vital to the neighborhood?
  
• What they want to see out of a transpotation system?
  
• Give three ideas how to get people out of their cars and onto buses/trains
  
• Who is their favorite driver?
  
• Childhood memory/historical moment
  

A win-win and tons for free marketing.  It gives RTA a visual on how riders think and shows where they could make improvements.

The concept of an RTA "press kit" is something that's been bounced around a few times. I suspect we'll be revisiting it shortly, and I for one will absolutely push for it. Nothing too heavy-handed, but enough to make our brand easy to consistently identify and work with.

 

That sounds splendid.  I think that a whole passel of us would be happy to help the press kit go viral.

Don't worry folks, this "windbag" just gave MyTwoSense a day off. When he returns, *I* demand that he stop being confrontational and stays on topic. 

Dirty Rapid.

 

- on 3 different Blue/Green Line rides this weekend, we found cars to be filthy.  Headed into the Rib Cookoff Saturday afternoon, car had cans and bottles rolling around on the floor which nobody, driver or any other RTA personnel bothered to pick up on the return ride.  Two other trips had filthy floors which 10 mins and a mop & Spic 'n Span could have cured.  An embarrassment viz a lady friend who rarely rides RTA who was appalled and probably won't ride again anytime soon.

 

- followup on Shaker Blvd: the dirty trench (Shaker Sq.-to-Woodhill Rd) I mentioned during our trip to the Cleve Film Fest a few months ago, is still just as dirty; untouched.  And the couch on the hill next to the MLK Blvd bridge is still there... It's no longer winter and we're on the cusp of summer.  I've never seen the Shaker cut so dirty.  Why isn't RTA doing anything about this?

 

Early-to-bed Rapid

- Sat. night downtown, happily, made downtown seem like Manhattan -- total gridlock around Public Square  and long traffic backups along Prospect Av.  Transit would have been an alternative, but w/ the last train leaving at 12:15a ... With our growing entertainment district on Euclid and esp E. 4th Street, I once again ask: shouldn't RTA consider summer (at least) extended weekend service til 2a?  I can't believe RTA can scrape up the money to run these extra trains for such a huge public service.

http://www.riderta.com/nu_newsroom_releases.asp?listingid=1301

 

May 26, 2009

 

RTA salaried employees to see a 3 percent cut

 

CLEVELAND – In a continuing effort to balance the 2009 budget, the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) has already:

 

·              Reduced salaried positions by 5 percent.

 

·              Frozen wages for all salaried employees.

 

Now, RTA’s 287 salaried employees will see their wages reduced by 3 percent, effective May 31.

 

The move will save RTA some $400,000 – hardly enough to make up a projected $12 million to $15 million decline in revenue from a one percent countywide sales tax.

 

Besides the actions listed above, RTA has also:

 

·              Instituted a partial hiring freeze.

 

·              Restricted travel.

 

·              Received supplemental funding from the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA).

 

·              Reduced overtime by more than $2.5 million over 2007 levels.

 

·              Started an energy management program, which is expected to reduce costs by $5 million over projections.

 

RTA is taking these additional steps:

 

* Additional restrictions on travel.

 

* Additional restrictions on filling open positions.

 

* Continuing to work with State officials, and NOACA officials, on supplemental funding.

 

*Reducing inventory expenses.

 

* Identifying “one-time” funding sources.

 

* Working with union officials in the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) and the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) on reducing costs.

 

“We realize that this move will not solve all of our budget challenges this year, but it will help,” says Joe Calabrese, RTA’s CEO and General Manager.

 

“We have already taken a number of steps to balance our budget, and now we are doing even more. Our goal is to preserve existing service levels and fares, so that Greater Clevelanders can continue to have transit access to their employers, and continue to support their families.”

 

“Before RTA can consider additional service cuts and/or another fare increase, we need to do whatever we can internally, to help balance our budget.”

 

“I thank our employees for their hard work, dedication and understanding,” Calabrese says. “They know first-hand the importance of what we do for our customers and our community. It is my hope that this temporary salary reduction can be reversed soon.”

 

 

I can't believe RTA can scrape up the money to run these extra trains for such a huge public service.

 

My response appears in the item above, about the wage cuts for salaried employees. You write..."I can't believe".

 

I say...."believe."

http://www.riderta.com/nu_newsroom_releases.asp?listingid=1300

 

Puritas Station groundbreaking set for May 27

 

CLEVELAND – The groundbreaking for a new rail station at Puritas Avenue, 4200 W. 150th St., will take place on Wednesday, May 27, at 11:30 a.m.

 

The $9.6 million project, funded from federal stimulus money, is expected to be completed by fall 2010. The station will remain open during construction.

 

Local elected officials, including Mayor Frank Jackson, will speak at the event.

 

Community residents are invited to attend. As always, parking is free.

while station rehabs are good, it's too bad there weren't any shovel ready rapid/brt extensions to use stimulus money on. that kind of windfall won't come again.

I also posted this at the Lorain County Transit thread....

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,16502.msg398364.html#msg398364

 

Too bad the stimulus funds for transit operating assistance were left out of the final package. Meanwhile funding for capital projects were left in -- but federal law requires that operating and capital funding cannot be exchanged or mixed. So as transit agencies can hire bricklayers and carpenters while taking possession of brand-new buses, they are forced to lay off drivers and mechanics while parking or retiring buses in their mid-life.

 

What a stupid country we are sometimes.

Cleveland: Groundbreaking held for new Puritas Road rapid station

Posted by Joe Noga May 27, 2009 15:50PM

 

Crews are set to begin construction on a new $9.5 million rapid transit station along Puritas Road following groundbreaking this week, despite protests from a national minority rights group.

 

RTA officials were slated to join local elected leaders on Wednesday to break ground on the new Red Line station near West 150th Street.

 

 

.....

 

http://blog.cleveland.com/westsidesunnews/2009/05/cleveland_groundbreaking_held.html

^If there were protesters there, I never saw them.

I like the station design a lot.  It conveys that trains are nice, perhaps luxurious, yet they fit in with our everyday lives.  That's a great vibe for RTA to have.  I especially like the prominent RTA sign.  Those help new people and recent converts find the stations at a distance through clutter.  Some of the older stations lack this feature.

^If there were protesters there, I never saw them.

 

Ya sure can't believe everything you read in the paper these days.....

^If there were protesters there, I never saw them.

 

Ya sure can't believe everything you read in the paper these days.....

 

I don't know. The newspapers have been a lot more reliable since that Prendergast guy left the Sun.  :-P

Just a quick rant of enthusiam.....

 

Wohoooooooooooooo!  Case worked out a deal with RTA for summer U-Passes for graduate students!  I sold the rest of my Case parking permit to a friend!  Woooooooohoooooooooo!  I am officially car free for work purposes!  Yeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!  :-D

 

Okay, end crazies.

Just a quick rant of enthusiam.....

 

Wohoooooooooooooo!  Case worked out a deal with RTA for summer U-Passes for graduate students!  I sold the rest of my Case parking permit to a friend!  Woooooooohoooooooooo!  I am officially car free for work purposes!  Yeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!  :-D

 

Okay, end crazies.

 

I think the Doc needs to visit a Doc!  She's gone loopy on us!

 

 

 

It's called happiness, MTS. Catch it!

It's called happiness, MTS. Catch it!

 

 

While waiting at the bus shelter at Front and Bagley for the #86 this morning, I noticed that  RTA had posted a laminated paper advisory sign regarding the construction on/closure of Front Street.  It informed people that they needed to board the bus at Front & Bagley during construction rather than the stops on Front north of Bagley because the bus is detoured, and that passengers could call the RTA Answer Line with any questions. 

 

Helpful, thoughtful, and I'm glad RTA thought of this.  HOWEVER, there is a problem with the sign.  It had four holes punched into it (I assume for wind if it's posted on a RTA sign post at a stop without a shelter).  The position of the holes were such that one of them took out the last two digits of the RTA Answer Line Phone number listed on the sign. 

 

I'll try to get a picture of it and post it here, but it will be a couple of days before I can get to it...

Statement from Joe Calabrese

 

You may have read an article in The Plain Dealer today, saying that some RTA employees are not doing their job by not properly collecting fares. This article was precipitated by a letter received by the newspaper from an individual relaying her experience on the Red Line while going to an Indians game last weekend.

 

I want to assure you that at RTA, every penny is important. We continually stress to our employees, the importance of collecting the proper fares from our customers. Those employees not taking all reasonable efforts to collect fares will be disciplined.

 

I know that this reported problem is the exception and is not the norm. We monitor revenues collected carefully, and year-to-date, fare revenue collected is up 9.38 percent over last year. 

 

These isolated occurrences, which are being dealt with, are in no material way contributing to RTAs budget challenges, which stems from a $12 million to $15 million projected shortfall in sales tax revenues in the current year. This is a result of the national economic recession.

 

If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions, please feel free to contact me directly.

Except for it kinda does happen a lot......  Hopefully POP will help alleviate that.  When is that getting getting up and running on the Red Line again?  I know the fareboxes are there...

Cross-posted from the Rethinking transport in USA section:

 

From the USDOT Secretary Ray Lahood's blog....

 

http://fastlane.dot.gov/2009/06/public-transportation-delivers-public-benefits.html

 

June 02, 2009

Public transportation delivers public benefits

 

President Obama was elected to harness a national will to do things better.  One thing I think Americans would like to see improved is how transportation serves the communities in which they live.

 

We love our cars, but sometimes there can be a better way to get to work or to the beach, or simply to the drug store.  And providing Americans with those choices can also be good for the economy.

 

In fact, each 1% of regional travel shifted from automobile to public transit increases regional income about $2.9 million, resulting in 226 additional regional jobs. Other economic benefits include increased productivity, employment, business activity, investment and redevelopment.

 

Cities with well-established rail systems have less traffic congestion, lower traffic death rates, lower consumer expenditures on transportation, significantly higher per capita transit ridership, lower average per capita vehicle mileage, and higher transit service cost recovery than otherwise comparable cities with less or no rail transit service.

 

Moreover, whether in Houston, Texas, or Portland, Oregon, rail transit systems not only provide economic, but social and environmental benefits.

 

Social benefits of transit include improved public health, greater flexibility in trip planning and accessibility for non-drivers.

 

Rail travel consumes about a fifth of the energy per passenger-mile as automobile travel. Electric powered rail produces minimal air and noise emissions.

 

Many criticisms of rail transit investment are based on inaccurate or incomplete analysis. For example, transit critics often cite operating costs. This overlooks the significant returns that rail transit offers. In 2002, for example, rail transit required about $12.5 billion annually in public subsidy. However, these costs were offset several times over by $19.4 billion in congestion costs savings, $8.0 billion in roadway cost savings, $12.1 billion in parking cost savings, $22.6 billion in consumer cost saving, and $5.6 billion in reduced crash damages.

 

Developing public transportation increases choices, for drivers as well as riders. Developing public transportation makes sense.

Except for it kinda does happen a lot...... Hopefully POP will help alleviate that. When is that getting getting up and running on the Red Line again? I know the fareboxes are there...

 

RTA auditors are testing the machines now. We hope to make the system "live" in a few weeks.

RTA's currently in the process of planning for replacing the 'S' curve of Red Line just west of West 98th Street.  Seems like, in making this change, RTA might put switches ('scuse me, an interlocking) at !. 100th Street, to have a 1 or 2 stop branch continuing along the NS track to W. 117, where there'd be a transfer station for this Red Line terminal and future Stop along the planned West Shore Commuter Line  -- esp if West Shore opts to connect w/ the NS shore line/3-C Amtrak line to the North Coast Station near the new MMPI Convention Center (meaning this would be the only transfer point btw the Red Line Rapid and WS commuter line)... Such a transfer station would serve a densly populated area including the Lakewood Gold Coast.  Why not?

Dear God.

 

Please, RTA, run a bus through the Waterloo Arts District in the evening. It is an up-and-coming neighborhood with lots of attractive destinations that are often vibrant in the evening, and it is downright scary to take public transit there. How in the world is it not served adequately by PT in the evening?

 

I took the number 30 there, since I knew that is how I was going to go home and I wanted to know where the stop is.

 

Shortly after I got off the bus, a young kid hanging on the corner yelled, "White boy coming! White boy coming!"

 

About two blocks later, this dude walks right up to my face stares me in the eye and then spits on my shoe. I tried not to look scared, and I tried not to look combative. I said, "Excuse me. I'm trying to pass through." He stood aside. Thank Christ.

 

There were no other incidents, but a pair of cops in an unmarked police car did give me a nice wave and slow down near me.

 

I met someone from the neighborhood at the art gallery I was going to and he walked me back to the bus stop. Nobody messed with us.

 

I don't think it had much to do with race, so much as my race identified me as someone who didn't belong in the neighborhood. It felt very turf-provoked. There was obvious drug dealing in the open. I've never faced that kind of racial tension outside of Washington DC, and I've been through most neighborhoods in Cleveland at a variety of hours. To be honest: This might be the first time I was ever nervous in the streets of my own city.

 

In any case, I am an urbanist and someone who is not easily uncomfortable, but I will not be going back to that part of Collinwood without a for-sure ride there and back again, and that's a damn shame.

Dear God.

 

Please, RTA, run a bus through the Waterloo Arts District in the evening. It is an up-and-coming neighborhood with lots of attractive destinations that are often vibrant in the evening, and it is downright scary to take public transit there. How in the world is it not served adequately by PT in the evening?

 

I took the number 30 there, since I knew that is how I was going to go home and I wanted to know where the stop is.

 

Shortly after I got off the bus, a young kid hanging on the corner yelled, "White boy coming! White boy coming!"

 

About two blocks later, this dude walks right up to my face stares me in the eye and then spits on my shoe. I tried not to look scared, and I tried not to look combative. I said, "Excuse me. I'm trying to pass through." He stood aside. Thank Christ.

 

There were no other incidents, but a pair of cops in an unmarked police car did give me a nice wave and slow down near me.

 

I met someone from the neighborhood at the art gallery I was going to and he walked me back to the bus stop. Nobody messed with us.

 

I don't think it had much to do with race, so much as my race identified me as someone who didn't belong in the neighborhood. It felt very turf-provoked. There was obvious drug dealing in the open. I've never faced that kind of racial tension outside of Washington DC, and I've been through most neighborhoods in Cleveland at a variety of hours. To be honest: This might be the first time I was ever nervous in the streets of my own city.

 

In any case, I am an urbanist and someone who is not easily uncomfortable, but I will not be going back to that part of Collinwood without a for-sure ride there and back again, and that's a damn shame.

 

That's too bad.  I feel that is the case with a lot of parts of the city.  Spare me the "have you walked through all parts of the city" bs. 

 

I feel like going on a rant, but I realize this isn't the proper place.

 

Also, I saw the tail-end of Channel 5 news and it said something about an RTA crime that was committed.  Anyone have an idea what happened?

I don't know if I'd say it's happening all around the city. I am out and about a lot, and I don't see much that's that blatant or that bad.

 

I went to a blues concert in the 70s off St. Clair and was surprised at how unscary it was. (Where the old 7-all gang used to be. Or some say still is.) Granted, my expectations were it was going to be terrifying But, again, I was going with someone who lives there and walks around there a lot, so I was less nervous and we were fine.

 

And maybe I just had one bad experience and I'm blowing it out of proportion. I did have cops in that district tell me it was a dangerous area with a lot of muggings, though. That was about a year ago, though.

 

Here's your RTA crime:

 

CLEVELAND -- Police are looking for a man who performed sex acts on himself while riding an RTA train.

 

.....

 

SOURCE: http://www.newsnet5.com/news/19672877/detail.html

Yeah, I was waxing nostalgic about how Collinwood used to be and let it touch a nerve.

 

Thanks for the update.

I used to love Collinwood. I like the Waterloo Arts District now, but I liked the old neighborhood.

 

What was the name of that great Slovenian restaurant right near 152nd? They had live accordion playing on Tuesdays? It closed maybe two years ago?

I know the economy is tough, now.  But when it gets better, I hope RTA considers all night (owl) service on the 12 Woodland bus.  It seems weird that the Shaker Square area, the most densely populated neighborhood in Cleveland, loses bus service at night after 12:30p every night.  When the Blue/Green line Rapid goes quiet, at least we wouldn't be an isolated island, where the closest all-night buses are 2 miles away -- the Health Line (down the steep winding hill) on Euclid to the North, or the 14 Kinsman to the South.

^^Fanny's on 156th?

YES. Fanny's is correct.

 

I'm not even saying extend bus hours. The 30 already runs 24/7. If it shifted its route to hit waterloo, it would solve the problem. Maybe add 3 minutes to the route if my Google Maps routing is correct.

 

Send the bus right on E152nd, left on waterloo, left on West 156, left on Grovewood (which already sees bus traffic)

 

You hit all the stops on Lakeshore, you provide 24-hour access to the safe part of the neighborhood, you do not add bus traffic on streets that do not already have bus traffic and you add 3 minutes to the route.

 

What am I not seeing here?

<a href=http://blog.cleveland.com/architecture/2009/06/the_bus_stops_here_from.html>Robert Maschke bus stops portrayed in new Qian Li video</a>

Posted by Steven Litt / Plain Dealer Architecture Critic June 05, 2009 16:37PM

Categories: Architecture, Art, Arts Impact, Entertainment Impact, Steven Litt

 

http://vimeo.com/4980685?pg=embed&sec=

 

The Bus Stops Here from Qian Li on Vimeo.

 

The phrase "bus stop" usually doesn't conjure images of great beauty. But Cleveland architect Robert Maschke has come up with an edgy and forward-looking concept for bus stops that are part of the $3 million-plus makeover of Detroit Avenue in the heart of the Detroit-Shoreway cultural district.

 

Ward 17 Councilman Matt Zone sent a link to the video, created by neighborhood resident Qian Li. This short presentation, which includes interviews with Zone, Maschke and others, casts light on the creative energy rising an important neighborhood center on the city's West Side. It's worth a look.

 

What am I not seeing here?

 

The added cost of operating more vehicle miles.

 

The RTA sales tax is generating less money in a county that's fully built-out and we in Ohio would rather duplicate neighborhoods than revitalizate them. Meanwhile state funding for transit has been slashed 60 percent since 2001. Federal operating support for transit was ended in 1998. Lastly RTA costs are going up (mostly labor) even if no new services are added.

 

RTA is cutting its budget, not adding to it. Thank your elected officials. They don't see the need for more transit funding. Nicely tell them why they're wrong.