^Most transit systems I've ridden look the other way if it's in a travel mug of some sort, though I can't recall any actually having a policy that allows them.

 

A couple years ago I can recall someone on the bus dropping a 20oz cup of cappucino or latte and it smelled up the entire bus and made the whole bus floor brown and sticky. I'm guessing the driver of that bus probably enforced the "no drinks" policy for a while after that incident. You may have just run into someone that's had a similar experience recently.

I'd give you a pass on the travel mug protected coffee! 

 

Did you hear the story out of NYC about the woman eating spaghetti on the subway?  Now that would be pushing the envelope... :lol:

I find coffee spills and other spills on buses and rail cars incredibly annoying, so I'm pretty sympathetic to enforcement.  Though maybe a travel mug requirement would be reasonable.

 

In any case, at least you didn't get arrested, like the girl eating a candy bar in a DC Metro station a few years ago: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28601-2004Jul30.html

 

 

^Most transit systems I've ridden look the other way if it's in a travel mug of some sort, though I can't recall any actually having a policy that allows them.

Correction, DC Metro allows them by policy.

 

http://www.capmetro.org/riding/safe_riding.asp

Drinks are permitted only in approved spill-proof containers, such as plastic water bottles or travel mugs with re-sealable lids. Open cans, unscrewed bottles, and paper or Styrofoam cups with lids and straws are not allowed.

^Most transit systems I've ridden look the other way if it's in a travel mug of some sort, though I can't recall any actually having a policy that allows them.

Correction, DC Metro allows them by policy.

 

http://www.capmetro.org/riding/safe_riding.asp

Drinks are permitted only in approved spill-proof containers, such as plastic water bottles or travel mugs with re-sealable lids. Open cans, unscrewed bottles, and paper or Styrofoam cups with lids and straws are not allowed.

 

That's the Austin Metro, not DC Metro.  (I was tipped off when they kept referring to buses.  Buses are a distant afterthought in the DC Metro system.)

 

EDIT: I found the DC Metro rules, and it simply says you can't drink on trains or in the stations.

 

http://www.wmata.com/rail/railrules.cfm

 

Don't

 

    Eat, drink, smoke or litter on Metro vehicles or in stations. Metro Transit Police issue citations or make arrests to enforce the law.

^oops

 

Another transit property begins testing talking bus system 

 

Following the lead of transit systems in Cleveland and Portland, Ore., the Maryland Transit Administration is testing a pedestrian warning system on 10 of its buses. As the bus heads into a turn, a voice over the external PA system warns, "Pedestrians, the bus is turning!" The Baltimore Sun [3-29] >> Video by Kim Hairston / The Baltimore Sun

 

http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/commuting/bs-md-mta-bus-alert-20110328,0,7301009.story

Well...there is another city RockandRoller won't be able to move to :wink:

Another transit property begins testing talking bus system 

 

Following the lead of transit systems in Cleveland and Portland, Ore., the Maryland Transit Administration is testing a pedestrian warning system on 10 of its buses. As the bus heads into a turn, a voice over the external PA system warns, "Pedestrians, the bus is turning!" The Baltimore Sun [3-29] >> Video by Kim Hairston / The Baltimore Sun

 

http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/commuting/bs-md-mta-bus-alert-20110328,0,7301009.story

Hopefully they'll learn from RTA's screw up and turn down the volume right away instead of irritating every pedestrian, driver and rider for a few months.  :-D

I have another RTA related question.  First of all, I'm so proud of myself.  I went and took the Rapid, downtown, BY MYSELF on Saturday and explored the CPL.  This is a first for me, so this is MAJOR and huge.  Ok, I want to go to Loganberry Books this weekend, but I'm sort of unfamiliar with SH.  I know I take the Red Line to the E34th station, and then the waterfront line, is that correct?  I looked it up on google maps, I just want to double check with all my urban friends.  I'm loving the public transportation thing, and it makes me feel so urban.  Much better than Lake County and Laketran. 

I have another RTA related question.  First of all, I'm so proud of myself.  I went and took the Rapid, downtown, BY MYSELF on Saturday and explored the CPL.  This is a first for me, so this is MAJOR and huge.  Ok, I want to go to Loganberry Books this weekend, but I'm sort of unfamiliar with SH.  I know I take the Red Line to the E34th station, and then the waterfront line, is that correct?  I looked it up on google maps, I just want to double check with all my urban friends.  I'm loving the public transportation thing, and it makes me feel so urban.  Much better than Lake County and Laketran. 

 

You want to transfer to the Green or Blue lines at Tower City, not E. 34th.  You could technically transfer at either E. 34th or E. 55th, but Tower City is indoors and a much safer station to be waiting for a train at (and much busier, there's hardly anyone that gets off at E. 34th).  Both the Green and Blue lines go to Shaker Square (they split after that stop) so either one will do, but neither of them is called the Waterfront Line east of Tower City (the Waterfront Line goes northwest out of Tower City, not east).

^^Way to get out there!  You're starting from the west side, right?  You'll want to take the Red Line to Tower City, exit the fare gates into main lobby area where the escalators are and then go through the fare gates straight ahead to the Green Line/Blue Line/Waterfront Line part of the station. 

 

As you walk in the new fare gates (you'll have to pay again unless you are using a day/week/month pass or used a 5-trip card on the Red Line, I believe), you'll want to get on any train heading east, which is any train that stops on the track to your right or the track in the middle.  This can be either a Green Line train heading towards Green Road or a Blue Line train heading to Warrensville Center road.  The destinations of the train will be visible on the front and side of the trains.

 

Whichever train you get on, you'll exit at Shaker Square.  From there, the walk to Loganberry is a snap- just head north (left from Shaker Blvd) up North Moreland and then take a left on Larchmere.  If you wait until Saturday April 9th (or if you want to go again), you should definitely try to get to Shaker Square before noon, so you can visit the first outdoor green market of the year.  It's the region's top green market with a pretty large and outstanding selection of food, though it's a bit early for lots of the produce, of course: http://www.shakersquare.net/farmersmarket.htm

 

Have fun!

Thanks for all the advice.  I'm really looking forward to exploring the area.  This is all so new to me, and it's just fascinating.  I think I'm going to try and make a day out of it!

Emme, if the weather's nice, and you really want to make a day of it, there's great nature walking right nearby too: the trail system around the lower shaker lake and the Shaker Lakes Nature Center offer excellent views.  The houses in the area are also beautiful, of course, so there's plenty to look at:

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=41.487765,-81.580353&spn=0.010448,0.026157&t=h&z=16

^^

As you walk in the new fare gates (you'll have to pay again unless you are using a day/week/month pass or used a 5-trip card on the Red Line, I believe), you'll want to get on any train heading east, which is any train that stops on the track to your right or the track in the middle.  This can be either a Green Line train heading towards Green Road or a Blue Line train heading to Warrensville Center road.  The destinations of the train will be visible on the front and side of the trains.

 

The lack of transfer between Red/Blue/Green always grinds my gears! 

 

Knowing this, the last time I took my kids to Shaker Square via Tower City I bought day passes (on my knees at West Blvd station).  When trying to transfer I got the third degree on the age of my 6 year old daughter by an old lady RTA employee at the entrance to the Shaker Lines.  She was seriously not going to let us transfer because she thought my daughter was too old (which, by the way, I wasn't entirely sure of the age cut off--but c'mon!).

When trying to transfer I got the third degree on the age of my 6 year old daughter by an old lady RTA employee at the entrance to the Shaker Lines.  She was seriously not going to let us transfer because she thought my daughter was too old (which, by the way, I wasn't entirely sure of the age cut off--but c'mon!).

 

Some RTA employees take themselves way too seriously. They aren't trying to save the world -- or maybe they think they are!

^^

As you walk in the new fare gates (you'll have to pay again unless you are using a day/week/month pass or used a 5-trip card on the Red Line, I believe), you'll want to get on any train heading east, which is any train that stops on the track to your right or the track in the middle.  This can be either a Green Line train heading towards Green Road or a Blue Line train heading to Warrensville Center road.  The destinations of the train will be visible on the front and side of the trains.

 

The lack of transfer between Red/Blue/Green always grinds my gears! 

 

Knowing this, the last time I took my kids to Shaker Square via Tower City I bought day passes (on my knees at West Blvd station).  When trying to transfer I got the third degree on the age of my 6 year old daughter by an old lady RTA employee at the entrance to the Shaker Lines.  She was seriously not going to let us transfer because she thought my daughter was too old (which, by the way, I wasn't entirely sure of the age cut off--but c'mon!).

 

In fairness, many of us give RTA hell for not enforcing fare rules against school kids... so I can't really blame them for trying to enforce them against kids who are accompanied by a parent too... Especially since you could just buy another fare card as needed right there in the station...

 

And you could have just looked on RTA's site to see what the age cutoff is for having to pay, right?  Perhaps on the "Fares" page http://www.riderta.com/fares/?  Actually, no.  No mention I can find for the age cut-off for fares.  Then again, according to that terrific page, the downtown trolley still requires a fare of $1.50.

^the age is 6 if anyone is interested. At least assuming that this page is up to date. http://www.riderta.com/cs_FAQs.asp?print=1#1

^Good find. Buried in the FAQs is not the easiest place to find info, but they did post it somewhere. My bad.

In all honesty I hadn't looked.  You also think the fare machines would just say "Kids Day Pass--age 6 and Under".  But it didn't. 

 

None the less, my daughter was obviously in the range of a 6 year old--and the nasty old RTA Lunch Lady just decided to pick a fight, for a transfer point that should be free anyway IMO.  I've always wondered why they don't rearrange the turnstiles or put a hallway between the two so you don't have to pay or swipe your card twice?

Mr. Masek -- how is the new eastside transit center being used?  And how is it improving RTA operations?

Does the Cleveland RTA or Cleveland itself have a TOD policy?   

Does the Cleveland RTA or Cleveland itself have a TOD policy?   

 

RTA's TOD policy can be found here:  http://www.riderta.com/tod/guidelines/

 

They seem supportive of the concept, but at the end of the day, i don't think RTA plans to develop projects themselves, so it is really up to private enterprise to do the actual development.

 

In Ohio, municipalities control land use, so it would be up to Cleveland's zoning code, development masterplans and targeted incentives to guide and encourage TOD. RTA could also provide incentives. Alas, none of these are as aggressive as they ought to be. While private land owners and investors cannot be forced to invest in their properties (sadly, many are sitting on their decaying properties waiting for someone to come along and make them rich...), some can be encouraged to develop them with district-specific incentives.

In Ohio, municipalities control land use, so it would be up to Cleveland's zoning code, development masterplans and targeted incentives to guide and encourage TOD. RTA could also provide incentives. Alas, none of these are as aggressive as they ought to be. While private land owners and investors cannot be forced to invest in their properties (sadly, many are sitting on their decaying properties waiting for someone to come along and make them rich...), some can be encouraged to develop them with district-specific incentives.

 

On this same note I wish that RTA would pitch the W117/Clifton area as a TOD target for their plan for Clifton.  The area is a ripe for it--plenty of storefront opportunities that could be developed with minimal investment to go along with the already existing retail and restaurants.

The blue and green lines will be replaced by shuttles or buses this weekend. Just in case anyone is planning to use either then.....

RTA's 2010 annual report is now available on-line at http://www.riderta.com/annual/.

 

I got yelled at this morning on the Healthline because I was drinking coffee on the bus.  Is this normal policy on most transit systems?  I know that no food or beverages are technically allowed on buses but I ride the bus every day and have never been told to not do it before.  I understand that the rule exists to keep kids from spilling soda everywhere but for adults that want their coffee in the morning on their bus ride I think the rule sucks.  Does the Rapid have a similar rule?

 

A few years back, I was pacing back and forth on the platform on a cold morning drinking coffee from the coffee shop at the end of the blue line.  The train operator said I could get on the train.  I said "but I thought drinks weren't allowed?".  His reply was:  "Let's use some common sense around here.  It's cold!  Get on the train where it's warm!". 

 

By the way, when is construction slated to begin on the new Mayfield Rd station?  I seem to recall 2012. 

 

 

 

By the way, when is construction slated to begin on the new Mayfield Rd station?  I seem to recall 2012. 

 

 

After they have enough money to award bids, and they're a long way from that.

I got yelled at this morning on the Healthline because I was drinking coffee on the bus.  Is this normal policy on most transit systems?  I know that no food or beverages are technically allowed on buses but I ride the bus every day and have never been told to not do it before.  I understand that the rule exists to keep kids from spilling soda everywhere but for adults that want their coffee in the morning on their bus ride I think the rule sucks.  Does the Rapid have a similar rule?

 

A few years back, I was pacing back and forth on the platform on a cold morning drinking coffee from the coffee shop at the end of the blue line.  The train operator said I could get on the train.  I said "but I thought drinks weren't allowed?".  His reply was:  "Let's use some common sense around here.  It's cold!  Get on the train where it's warm!". 

 

 

Enforcement of the policy is completely driver/operator dependent.  I saw a guy on the Healthline eating sausage and sauerkraut one time, and when he got up for his stop, he was gonna leave his nasty trash there.  I called him out on it, and he called me some profane name, I don't remember what.  I definitely got some nods of approval on the bus, though, lol.

Mr. Masek -- how is the new eastside transit center being used?  And how is it improving RTA operations?

 

C'mon, softball question.  Does anyone know?

Mr. Masek -- how is the new eastside transit center being used?  And how is it improving RTA operations?

 

C'mon, softball question.  Does anyone know?

 

Other than it looks like an elementary school with all the primary-colored paint?  Lol.  I'm joking (sorta).  It is nice to seem some color I guess.

Mr. Masek -- how is the new eastside transit center being used?  And how is it improving RTA operations?

 

C'mon, softball question.  Does anyone know?

 

Just click on the bus icon here and it will tell you which routes are using it.  I'm guessing buses from these routes lay over here instead of on city streets.

 

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=41.500058,-81.67449&spn=0.001298,0.00327&t=h&z=19

That seems rather elaborate and expensive for a bus stop.  Was laying them over on 21st street really such a pressing problem?  It's not like we don't have existing facilities in embarassing states of disrepair.  And I can't help but think this isn't the highest or best use of a parcel so close to CSU.

RTA and the university got a lot of complaints about the exhaust from buses layover underneath CSU buildings on 21st Street.

 

Considering that RTA carries many CSU students, it needed a layover point near the campus -- just not under the campus.

RTA and the university got a lot of complaints about the exhaust from buses layover underneath CSU buildings on 21st Street.

Couldn't they turn the busses off?

 

Considering that RTA carries many CSU students, it needed a layover point near the campus -- just not under the campus.

Yeah, a block south is much closer than a flight of stairs down. :-D

 

I actually think a transit center is a good idea, but I'm a cynical smart ass.

Take this, Atlanta: Cleveland is one of the best U.S. cities for commuters, according to this ranking from Kiplinger.com.

 

Our city ranks No. 6 on the list, beating the national averages in almost all of Kiplinger.com's key categories, including average length of daily commute (23.9 minutes vs. 25 minutes) and yearly congestion cost per commuter ($423 vs. $808).

 

Among the top 10 cities, Cleveland boasts the highest rate of public transit users on our list, with 4.8% of its residents taking advantage of buses, trains and trolleys.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20110414/BLOGS03/110419919#

 

wrong link?

 

Edit: Nevermind

wrong link?

 

Edit: Nevermind

 

For others, scroll down the blog posting at that link.

 

By the way, when is construction slated to begin on the new Mayfield Rd station?  I seem to recall 2012. 

 

 

After they have enough money to award bids, and they're a long way from that.

 

That's a shame, esp given the exciting development rising at Univ. Circle's Uptown development (esp the new MOCA)... When you say RTA doesn't "... have enough money to award bids", please explain.  Wouldn't they, or haven't they, gone through the Federal grant application program much as they have for the rising Puritas and E. 55 stations?  I know there was talk of negotiations with Norfolk Southern RR about the site itself, but is that tied to this?  Why the delay?  I know the Clifton BRT project was dropped, but isn't this project less controversial -- that is, there are no dissenting voices for the E. 120 station relocation as there was re the Clifton BRT.

I feel like a Mayfield Rd station can be one of the best (non-expansion) additions to all of RTA. It can benefit University Circle, Uptown, Little Italy.

That's a shame, esp given the exciting development rising at Univ. Circle's Uptown development (esp the new MOCA)... When you say RTA doesn't "... have enough money to award bids", please explain.  Wouldn't they, or haven't they, gone through the Federal grant application program much as they have for the rising Puritas and E. 55 stations?  I know there was talk of negotiations with Norfolk Southern RR about the site itself, but is that tied to this?  Why the delay?  I know the Clifton BRT project was dropped, but isn't this project less controversial -- that is, there are no dissenting voices for the E. 120 station relocation as there was re the Clifton BRT.

 

The delay with NS was in regards to the designs for the station. As an adjacent property owner, NS had to be consulted on the design.

 

RTA has made funding applications to the FTA and I believe Senators Brown and Voinovich, along with Rep. Fudge got a $2 million earmark for the station in the 2011 federal budget. The budget passed the Senate late last year but it never passed the House, which is why the government is operating on continuing resolutions and nearly shutting down once or twice. Now it is highly unlikely that earmarks will be allowed, and it will have to wait in line for scant funding behind thousands of other transit projects nationwide.

^Thanks for the info, KJP... not the best news in the world, given our testy politics these days, but at least our local officials seem to be trying.

I know the Clifton BRT project was dropped, but isn't this project less controversial -- that is, there are no dissenting voices for the E. 120 station relocation as there was re the Clifton BRT.

 

You know RTA has a PR problem with it's project when Urban Ohio members are making misinformed statements like Cleveland.com posters! :)

 

The Enhance Clifton Project that was just this week denied TRAC funding was not a BRT project.  RTA was only getting improved shelters and some lane restrictions during rush hour.  It wasn't full scale BRT ala the Health Line.  That Clifton BRT project, so far as I know, died years ago.

 

RTA, along with the cities of Cleveland and Lakewood would have done themselves a service to communicate this in a more effective manner.  Just mention Health Line near some car-bound suburbanites and they'll run howling about how RTA "ruined" Euclid Ave (ignoring the 50 years of blight leading up to the Health Line....).

 

 

Just mention Health Line near some car-bound suburbanites and they'll run howling about how RTA "ruined" Euclid Ave (ignoring the 50 years of blight leading up to the Health Line....).

 

Just as an aside, my boss's boss (who I referred to in another thread as one of the people I work with that brags about how he hasn't been downtown in over a decade) was telling an out-of-towner at a work dinner a couple of weeks ago that he heard Euclid Avenue "was pretty nice now".  I was shocked.

I know the Clifton BRT project was dropped, but isn't this project less controversial -- that is, there are no dissenting voices for the E. 120 station relocation as there was re the Clifton BRT.

 

You know RTA has a PR problem with it's project when Urban Ohio members are making misinformed statements like Cleveland.com posters! :)

 

... maybe try reading a little bit.  If you did, you'd understand the term "BRT" takes many forms in the current parlance, including the "bus related enhancements" RTA was pushing for before the TRAC funding denial.  I never said, nor implied, that Clifton was to get a replica of the Health Line, and once again (for emphasis) the Health Line is not the only type for BRT there is.

 

I truly believe that the Mayfield Red Line station (given all that is happen in the area and the fact that it would bolster further office, retail and housing) is the most important project currently on RTA's planning agenda.  That is why I think it is necessary to take the bull by the horn, look outside it's comfort zone, and look for sources of funding that it would not even consider tapping.  This means seeking help from the city (despite its own financial problems) and from UCI, foundations and private sources, both institutional and individual.  I am taking about fund raising similar to a project like MOCA and the art museum.  We just cannot sit back and wait for funding from the federal government for years with our fingers crossed, as it clearly is not going to be there.  This station will mean so much to the area and, given it is the second most important area after downtwon, to Cleveland.

^ Exactly, I honestly believe that the Mayfield Road Station is probably RTA's most important project. I wouldn't mind new redline cars as well :)

I know the Clifton BRT project was dropped, but isn't this project less controversial -- that is, there are no dissenting voices for the E. 120 station relocation as there was re the Clifton BRT.

[/quote

 

You know RTA has a PR problem with it's project when Urban Ohio members are making misinformed statements like Cleveland.com posters! :)

 

... maybe try reading a little bit.  If you did, you'd understand the term "BRT" takes many forms in the current parlance, including the "bus related enhancements" RTA was pushing for before the TRAC funding denial.  I never said, nor implied, that Clifton was to get a replica of the Health Line, and once again (for emphasis) the Health Line is not the only type for BRT there is.

 

 

I do ready plenty, thank you.    Start with the basics:  Wikipedia.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bus_rapid_transit

 

From this breakdown of BRT, the Enhance Clifton plan has one of the characteristics of BRT in RTA's request for a dedicated bus lane at rush hours.

 

To me RTA failed miserably by once upon a time floating a full BRT plan for Clifton, but never clearly defining its objectives.  When that plan died on the vine and the Enhance Clifton plan gained traction several years later, it gave detractors a perfect target to communicate their displeasure with ANY change in Cleveland. 

 

Let's face it Clvlndr, if you say BRT in Cleveland's current parlance, 90% of the population are not transit geeks as some members here are.  They will immediately think "Health Line" no matter how you try to spin it. 

 

I didn't mean to insult you, rather point out RTA's extremely poor job of bringing this completely different concept to the table.  If the highly vaunted Clvlndr, omnipotent fountain of Cleveland transit knowledge ( :lol:), is calling the Enhance Clifton project "BRT," then it stands to reason that Joe Cleveland.com will think RTA is trying to reinvent the Health Line down Clifton Blvd.

 

I'm not sure it matters that Clifton wouldn't involve silver bendy buses with stations down the center.  The similarities are many, and they're significant to most people in evaluating the proposal.  There would still be something down the middle, at the cost of less roadway capacity.  In this case that something would be landscaping, which was also a major component of the Euclid Corridor, and not one that turned out particularly well.  The revised Clifton proposal also involved a new signal timing system, which has been problematic thus far on Euclid.  It also promised new bus shelters, yet another less than popular aspect of the Health Line.  What reason did anyone have to believe that these problems would somehow spare Clifton when they still persist on Euclid, three years and counting after Mission Accomplished?