Will, could you edit your post to remove my pictures from the quote? Thanks. Makes it easier to find your comment!

 

Yep, the typo is that it should be 9:15 a.m., not 9 15 p.m.

I'm surprised that the hours are so early for this service.  The Edgewater/Lakewood area is full of service industry people who work late hours Downtown, not to mention students.  Both groups are predisposed towards transit, and often work late hours, or stay out late.  It would seem like a candidate line for 24 hour service.

 

The area in general has a non 24-hour mindset and RTA reflects it strongly.  Indeed, the reason I took the bus to work in Brooklyn Heights only in emergencies rather than once a month or so was that I could not get there, after transferring downtown, until 710am.  The line into town didn't get there before about 615.

You've definitely touched on an important concept. The city and county should announce districts that should have 24 hour services. Yes, it would cost a little more but by focusing that on certain areas, but businesses that are more willing to be situated in non-stop work days would know where they stand.

This would encourage more businesses in those districts to stay open longer and there would then be the need to hire more people to handle the extended hours.

So why do it?  It would create more jobs

You've definitely touched on an important concept. The city and county should announce districts that should have 24 hour services. Yes, it would cost a little more but by focusing that on certain areas, but businesses that are more willing to be situated in non-stop work days would know where they stand.

This would encourage more businesses in those districts to stay open longer and there would then be the need to hire more people to handle the extended hours.

So why do it?  It would create more jobs

 

RTA could start with, at least, extended Rapid Transit hours until 2-2:30p on weekends.  They used to have this during summer, until Joe Calabrese was appointed GM.  Calabrese even did away with RTA's traditional all-night rail service on New Year's Eve.  The service of course was largely in part to put heavy drinkers on trains rather than cars. That in part was the reason for the extended summer, weekend hours...  But Calabrese did away with it all... Nice call, Joe!

Calabrese even did away with RTA's traditional all-night rail service on New Year's Eve.

 

Clvlndr, that's simply not true. Any 24-hour rail service RTA might have had ended long before Joe Calabrese arrived. Criticize where criticism is due, but please be factual in your criticisms.

 

BTW, we offered 24-hour rail service on New Year's Eve last year, and will be offering it again this year. Those are facts.

^Yes, I stand corrected.  Joe did bring back 24-hour rail service last year.  I'm pleased he's bringing it back this year.  Hopefully, it will be an annual provision once again... I do, though, tend to remember it disappearing around the time Joe was hired GM...

 

What about the extended Weekend hours?  This was eliminated under Joe.  I'll admit, it was designed primarily to serve the Waterfront Line when the Flats was at its peak in the late 1990s, but the Flats has since declined.  However, downtown generally on weekends nowadays is every bit as lively, if not more so, than the Flats of the 90s, given the strength of E. 4th, the steady growth of the WHD and jam-packed casino, which sits directly on top of the Rapid station.  Lower Prospect, 5-points and E. 9th/Euclid, among other hotspots, are also generating traffic (and I'm not even throwing those nights when there's a concert or ballgame)...  And as you'll note, the Flats East Bank is reinventing itself... Tower City is a hop, skip & a jump from all these areas.  2p weekend service should be implemented, at least during the summer.... Philadelphia, which had subway service hours similar to RTA's, recently extended summertime weekend 24-hour rail service to year round.

 

Will some expansion at least be considered, JetDog?

In light of the handsome new brick 'n glass waiting shelters constructed along Clifton Blvd for the new Enhance Lakewood/Clifton (#55 - CSU) route, it's time to follow up on a suggestion made by MyTwoSense a year or so ago: let's encourage (I don't want to say: pressure) RTA to begin a program for similar structures along the Blue and Green Lines in Shaker Heights, and finally get rid of those ugly, boxy Plexiglass bus shelters.  Obviously the handsome older stations at Coventry and Lynnfield would remain as is, as would the substantial double-building at Shaker Square... In addition to finally having Rapid stations that better meshed with the lovely homes and apartments along Shaker and Van Aken, these solid new brick shelters could have the positive spin-off of (finally) encouraging RTA to junk the antiquated/confusing Pay-Enter Eastbound/Pay Leave Westbound fare system for a system-wide POP matching the Red Line.  These new shelters can better house the fare machines esp in in-climate weather.  RTA needs to get moving on this.

Is there a precident for a CDC to sponsor service?  Something like if RTA had dedicated frequent service service from say Downtown to Waterloo on Weekend nights, the CDC would cover the costs of the service minus any fares that RTA would receive?

 

Is that even a viable idea?

Were late night rail ridership numbers ever released from New Years Eve last year? I applaud RTA for their 24 hour service, but am curious as to how many people actually utilize it.

Is there a precident for a CDC to sponsor service?  Something like if RTA had dedicated frequent service service from say Downtown to Waterloo on Weekend nights, the CDC would cover the costs of the service minus any fares that RTA would receive?

 

Is that even a viable idea?

 

Yes. Downtown Cleveland Alliance helps sponsor the downtown trolleys.

 

They also were a sponsor for public transportation improvement advocacy efforts conducted by All Aboard Ohio. These focused mostly on an intermodal hub for downtown Cleveland.

Speaking of late night trains, the amount of people on the trains at hours such as 10 and 11pm is pretty good, at least on the eastbound trains (eastbound rider).

Which rail line?

Which rail line?

Red Line

Description: The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority GCRTA) intends to engage the services of a qualified Engineering Firm (EF) to provide professional engineering services for design and construction support of the reconstruction of the Westbound Mainline or Track 8 located at the Tower City Terminal along with the rehabilitation and modifications to the Auxiliary Platform of Track 7

Title: Engineering Services for the Reconstruction of Track 8 & 7 Aux. Platform at Tower City

Valuation: 6,300,000

Issued: 12/29/2014

Pre-Bid Meeting: 1/12/2015, at 10:00 AM

Location: 1240 West Sixth Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44113

Responses Due: 1/29/2015, at 2:30 PM

Location: 1240 West Sixth Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44113

Contract Administrator: Jonathan Laule

Phone: 216.781.4049

 

 

For clarity, the GCRTA tracks from south to north at Tower City station are 13, 10, 8, 7 and 6. Track 13 is the eastbound main track. Track 10 is the center track stub-end tracks, west and east. Track 8 is the westbound main track. Tracks 7 and 6 are the track run into the old Shaker light-rail station. These aren't used anymore except for maintenance or storage of equipment. However these tracks, especially at the east end of the station, go through a complicated labyrinth of concrete that was built in the late 1920s and in desperate need of repair. In fact, the concrete above these tracks supports the intersection of Huron and Ontario. Few realize that the Rapid tracks run directly below this intersection and includes a "duck-under" by Track 8 below another track (can't remember which). At the bottom of this duck-under is a header for a diverging subway track to turn east below Huron so that it doesn't cross at-grade the Shaker station access tracks.

 

This is a hugely expensive project and it sounds like the $6.3 million is only for the materials testing, design of corrective measures and oversight of implementing those measures -- not for the corrective measures themselves. Is this correct?

 

EDIT: just checked in with a friend who said the $6.3 million is for an interim repair, not the major project for repairing the labyrinth of concrete above and around the tracks that's supports Ontario-Huron.

^I'm glad this is repair is finally being addressed... My Green Line train was delayed coming out of Tower City, and I saw how badly deteriorated that concrete is under Ontario/Huron.  Much of the steel-mesh frame rods are now exposed and you can see where concrete has been flaking off with a lot of ice and water damage over the years.  It looks semi-dangerous.   

Gotta love RTA's communication. I was meeting someone for lunch at the Euclid Tavern so I figured that I'd take the Rapid from Tower City to E 120th. I'm sitting on the train about to get up to get off and it keeps going, right past E 120. I get off at Superior and check Twitter to see if there are any notifications from RTA and then hear the conductor yelling at me and the two Case students (coming back from break with their suitcases) that E 120 is closed and that we need to take the bus. I then walk to Euclid Ave and wait 18 minutes for a HeathLine to take me back to UC--normally not a huge deal, but I lost feeling for a bit in my ears and toes from the cold and wind.

 

I later saw that RTA posted yesterday about the station being closed, but there was nothing posted again today. PLUS, a large number of Rapid riders don't have Facebook or Twitter. There was no sign at Tower City and even worse, no announcement from the conductor that the station was closed. Wouldn't be a huge deal, but this is just another instance in a long line of RTA incompetence that I've experinced since I moved back to Cleveland.

 

Edit: Spelling

Gotta love RTA's communication. I was meeting someone for lunch at the Euclid Tavern so I figured that I'd take the Rapid from Tower City to E 120th. I'm sitting on the train about to get up to get off and it keeps going, right past E 120. I get off at Superior and check Twitter to see if there are any notifications from RTA and then hear the driving yelling at me and the two Case students (coming back from break with their suitcases) that E 120 is closed and that we need to take the bus. I then walk to Euclid Ave and wait 18 minutes for a HeathLine to take me back to UC--normally not a huge deal, but I lost feeling for a bit in my ears and toes from the cold and wind.

 

I later saw that RTA posted yesterday about the station being closed, but three was nothing posted again today. PLUS, a large number of Rapid riders don't have Facebook or Twitter. There was no sign at Tower City and even worse, no announcement from the conductor that the station was closed. Wouldn't be a huge deal, but this is just another instance in a long line of RTA incompetence that I've experinced since I moved back to Cleveland.

 

C'man TPH2! RTA's the Best Transit System in North America and Joe Calabrese has the 2007 stickers to prove it (and some still are on bus windows ta boot).

Gotta love RTA's communication. I was meeting someone for lunch at the Euclid Tavern so I figured that I'd take the Rapid from Tower City to E 120th. I'm sitting on the train about to get up to get off and it keeps going, right past E 120. I get off at Superior and check Twitter to see if there are any notifications from RTA and then hear the driving yelling at me and the two Case students (coming back from break with their suitcases) that E 120 is closed and that we need to take the bus. I then walk to Euclid Ave and wait 18 minutes for a HeathLine to take me back to UC--normally not a huge deal, but I lost feeling for a bit in my ears and toes from the cold and wind.

 

I later saw that RTA posted yesterday about the station being closed, but three was nothing posted again today. PLUS, a large number of Rapid riders don't have Facebook or Twitter. There was no sign at Tower City and even worse, no announcement from the conductor that the station was closed. Wouldn't be a huge deal, but this is just another instance in a long line of RTA incompetence that I've experinced since I moved back to Cleveland.

 

C'man TPH2! RTA's the Best Transit System in North America and Joe Calabrese has the 2007 stickers to prove it (and some still are on bus windows ta boot).

 

I pick up the E-line Trolley on W 6th every morning to get to work, and I can't help but chuckle ever time I see those posters hanging on the RTA HQ windows.

For whatever it may be worth the Health Line was rerouted this afternoon and my drivers made announcements.

Gotta love RTA's communication. I was meeting someone for lunch at the Euclid Tavern so I figured that I'd take the Rapid from Tower City to E 120th. I'm sitting on the train about to get up to get off and it keeps going, right past E 120. I get off at Superior and check Twitter to see if there are any notifications from RTA and then hear the driving yelling at me and the two Case students (coming back from break with their suitcases) that E 120 is closed and that we need to take the bus. I then walk to Euclid Ave and wait 18 minutes for a HeathLine to take me back to UC--normally not a huge deal, but I lost feeling for a bit in my ears and toes from the cold and wind.

 

I later saw that RTA posted yesterday about the station being closed, but three was nothing posted again today. PLUS, a large number of Rapid riders don't have Facebook or Twitter. There was no sign at Tower City and even worse, no announcement from the conductor that the station was closed. Wouldn't be a huge deal, but this is just another instance in a long line of RTA incompetence that I've experinced since I moved back to Cleveland.

 

C'man TPH2! RTA's the Best Transit System in North America and Joe Calabrese has the 2007 stickers to prove it (and some still are on bus windows ta boot).

 

I pick up the E-line Trolley on W 6th every morning to get to work, and I can't help but chuckle ever time I see those posters hanging on the RTA HQ windows.

 

Seriously though, this is good info to know.  I love Uptown and, once, used the Red Line to E. 120 from downtown because of the (happily) pain-in-the-butt that parking there has become.  Until the new Little Italy stop opens, I'll opt for the HL.  Hard to believe that RTA didn't better publicize this closing... Then again, it's par for the RTA course.

The stop was closed because of a water main break. It is not closed permanently.

The stop was closed because of a water main break. It is not closed permanently.

 

Oh right, the Little Italy flood... Still, RTA should have been out in front of this.  Cleveland.com/NEOMG, among others, has been covering this water main break extensively.  You'd think RTA would be more informative with their riders as this probably affects HL/bus riders in addition to the E. 120 Rapid stop. 

Anyone have any familiarity with or insight into RTA's Citizen Advisory Board? I'd love to get more involved with the process as opposed to just bitching about my experiences on here and on social media. Is it worth submitting an application for? What's it like?

Anyone have any familiarity with or insight into RTA's Citizen Advisory Board? I'd love to get more involved with the process as opposed to just bitching about my experiences on here and on social media. Is it worth submitting an application for? What's it like?

 

I've had many friends serve on it. A few still do. You get to hear some early news about projects, plans and new service changes, plus funding and other changes that require CAB input. While some GCRTA staffers like to bounce ideas off the CAB, others engage it only when they have to. CABs are required to exist by federal law. And some CAB members in the past have had an over-inflated opinion of their own importance. So it can go both ways. I get the sense currently that the CAB and GCRTA's staff have a healthier relationship now than they have in years past.

For more information on the CAB, you will find a Mission Statement, meeting dates and a roster at www.rideRTA.com/CAB.

This one is beginning to make the rounds on Facebook:

 

This one is beginning to make the rounds on Facebook:

 

 

Yikes. Let's hope my grandma doesn't see that. She'll be even more nervous about me riding RTA

This one is beginning to make the rounds on Facebook:

 

 

This is what cops have to deal with every day on the streets.  And now it's even more pronounced, with every kid out there trying to get an "event" captured on video, either for monetary gain or street cred. 

This one is beginning to make the rounds on Facebook:

 

 

Not too much support for the kid in the facebook comments.

This one is beginning to make the rounds on Facebook:

 

 

Not too much support for the kid in the facebook comments.

 

Nope, but a couple of posters seem to think the cop has no business rousting him off the bus if he did not pay his fare.   :wtf:

 

This one is beginning to make the rounds on Facebook:

 

 

Not too much support for the kid in the facebook comments.

 

Nope, but a couple of posters seem to think the cop has no business rousting him off the bus if he did not pay his fare.   :wtf:

 

 

Well of course...they were probably the ones filming the event and would share in the profits.

What's happening?

 

@GCRTA Shuttle buses replace Blue Line trains btwn Shaker Square & Warrensville. Green Line also running 67R shuttles.

What's happening?

 

@GCRTA Shuttle buses replace Blue Line trains btwn Shaker Square & Warrensville. Green Line also running 67R shuttles.

 

I don't understand why they so rarely disseminate the causes of shut downs, delays, etc.

Graffiti, trash plague view along RTA route from Hopkins Airport to Downtown Cleveland

 

http://www.newsnet5.com/news/local-news/cleveland-metro/graffit-trash-plague-view-along-rta-route-from-hopkins-airport-to-downtown-cleveland

 

 

Please find me one city where you don't see any graffiti while on a rail line. The trash though, yeah that's a problem

Am I the only one who doesn't necessarily have a problem with the graffiti along the Red Line?  The trash- sure, that needs to be cleaned up.  But the graffiti- I'm not wholly against.  It just doesn't send a negative message to me.    Graffiti has been on walls of cities since ancient times- and some of the graffiti along the route isn't that bad from an artistic standpoint, IMO.  I just don't get the feeling that I'm entering a negative or unsafe area due to the graffiti along the Line. 

Am I the only one who doesn't necessarily have a problem with the graffiti along the Red Line?  The trash- sure, that needs to be cleaned up.  But the graffiti- I'm not wholly against.  It just doesn't send a negative message to me.    Graffiti has been on walls of cities since ancient times- and some of the graffiti along the route isn't that bad from an artistic standpoint, IMO.  I just don't get the feeling that I'm entering a negative or unsafe area due to the graffiti along the Line. 

 

I suspect that the person who produced that piece, and indeed many people in Cleveland, don't ride rail lines in other cities or countries. You haven't seen graffiti until you've ridden trains in Europe.

Am I the only one who doesn't necessarily have a problem with the graffiti along the Red Line?  The trash- sure, that needs to be cleaned up.  But the graffiti- I'm not wholly against.  It just doesn't send a negative message to me.    Graffiti has been on walls of cities since ancient times- and some of the graffiti along the route isn't that bad from an artistic standpoint, IMO.  I just don't get the feeling that I'm entering a negative or unsafe area due to the graffiti along the Line. 

 

Me neither, but I think everyone is thinking "first impressions" if a significant number of RNC delegates take the Red Line from the airport to downtown.  Again, it's not the Democrats we're hosting.

 

Graffiti is minimizable, and maybe even preventable, in specific areas if it's a priority to do so.

Am I the only one who doesn't necessarily have a problem with the graffiti along the Red Line?  The trash- sure, that needs to be cleaned up.  But the graffiti- I'm not wholly against.  It just doesn't send a negative message to me.    Graffiti has been on walls of cities since ancient times- and some of the graffiti along the route isn't that bad from an artistic standpoint, IMO.  I just don't get the feeling that I'm entering a negative or unsafe area due to the graffiti along the Line. 

 

I suspect that the person who produced that piece, and indeed many people in Cleveland, don't ride rail lines in other cities or countries. You haven't seen graffiti until you've ridden trains in Europe.

 

I was going to mention that. The most graffiti I had ever seen was on a train ride from Cologne to Essen in Germany. It's also all over the place along the NY Subway (even on the cars!) and the DC Metro, among many others. As long as there is no negative or hateful message written, I don't have a problem. There could be some other steps taken to spruce up the views along that route though.

^Not sure how often you get to NYC, but graffiti on the subway cars doesn't even last 24 hours these days. You're hard pressed to find a car with more than a scribble here or there or something scratched into the windows. The tunnels though are a different story.

 

I personally like graffiti in certain environments. It's an expression of the people who call that city home. Garbage looks bad, but graffiti doesn't.

Am I the only one who doesn't necessarily have a problem with the graffiti along the Red Line?  The trash- sure, that needs to be cleaned up.  But the graffiti- I'm not wholly against.  It just doesn't send a negative message to me.    Graffiti has been on walls of cities since ancient times- and some of the graffiti along the route isn't that bad from an artistic standpoint, IMO.  I just don't get the feeling that I'm entering a negative or unsafe area due to the graffiti along the Line. 

 

I suspect that the person who produced that piece, and indeed many people in Cleveland, don't ride rail lines in other cities or countries. You haven't seen graffiti until you've ridden trains in Europe.

 

I was going to mention that. The most graffiti I had ever seen was on a train ride from Cologne to Essen in Germany. It's also all over the place along the NY Subway (even on the cars!) and the DC Metro, among many others. As long as there is no negative or hateful message written, I don't have a problem. There could be some other steps taken to spruce up the views along that route though.

 

MTA has done a pretty good job of keep graffiti off of subway cars, esp the newer ones.  It much better than the 70s/early 80s, when trains were caked with graffiti...

 

I suspect the City will whitewash most of that graffiti right before the RNC.  As the report noted, much or most of it isn't even on RTA property.  Much different that the Blue and Green line trench along Shaker Blvd in Cleveland, where RTA DOES own the property and where, under Joe Calabrese, cleaning and trash pickup has been nonexistent... There are mattresses in/around the East Blvd/MLK bridge that I've complained here (and to RTA directly) for a decade, and yet neither the trash nor mattresses have moved... Guess Joe is focused on his "Better Rapid Transit": ie, buses.  Maybe if there's a hint RNC'ers will ride Blue/Green line trains to Shaker Square or Shaker Heights, Joe might move on this.

The state of the Shaker Blvd trench is awful. I'm sure there would be people willing to volunteer cleaning it up. I sure would if such an effort were organized. But, those lines seem less than a priority for the agency

This seems like an ideal project for court services.  Let's get some adults and juveniles convicted of minor offenses to get out there and clean up the trash.

For reasons much bigger than the RNC event, I think it would be great if some combo of RTA, the city, and groups like Land Studio put there heads together and raise some outside money for a comprehensive transit corridor beautification strategy. It's a tricky issue, but I bet  there are some fairly low cost solutions on land by RTA, the city, and cooperative private owners that could make a big difference.  The Rotary trail project and ongoing relationship is a great example.

 

Plus, some serious clean up.  Given all the service outages over the past couple years due to ODOT work and track reconstruction, would have been a great opportunity.

This seems like an ideal project for court services.  Let's get some adults and juveniles convicted of minor offenses to get out there and clean up the trash.

 

I've seen the court community services working along the Red Line sometimes, but I can't remember the last time I've seen them.

 

The state of the Shaker Blvd trench is awful. I'm sure there would be people willing to volunteer cleaning it up. I sure would if such an effort were organized. But, those lines seem less than a priority for the agency

 

Rail isn't a priority for the agency. GCRTA needs to start the funding programming and equipment procurement process NOW if it wants new rail cars in 5-10 years. The existing Blue/Green line cars "MAY" last that long. But GCRTA staffers on West 6th and at Central Rail, as well as Joe C's own actions or lack thereof, all point to that process not starting until after Calabrese retires. And his contract continues until 2020.

This seems like an ideal project for court services.  Let's get some adults and juveniles convicted of minor offenses to get out there and clean up the trash.

 

I've seen the court community services working along the Red Line sometimes, but I can't remember the last time I've seen them.

 

Seems to me years ago I saw them as well....time to get them back.

This seems like an ideal project for court services.  Let's get some adults and juveniles convicted of minor offenses to get out there and clean up the trash.

 

I've seen the court community services working along the Red Line sometimes, but I can't remember the last time I've seen them.

 

The state of the Shaker Blvd trench is awful. I'm sure there would be people willing to volunteer cleaning it up. I sure would if such an effort were organized. But, those lines seem less than a priority for the agency

 

Rail isn't a priority for the agency. GCRTA needs to start the funding programming and equipment procurement process NOW if it wants new rail cars in 5-10 years. The existing Blue/Green line cars "MAY" last that long. But GCRTA staffers on West 6th and at Central Rail, as well as Joe C's own actions or lack thereof, all point to that process not starting until after Calabrese retires. And his contract continues until 2020.

 

We're stuck with him until 2020? Well, I guess that's only 5 years...

 

The Red Line car rehabilitation is supposed to make them last another 15 years. You seem to say that it is questionable about the LTR cars lasting that long. Is there any inclination from RTA that they'd be looking into new rolling stock that could function on both lines? Seems like the timelines wouldn't match up..

The Red Line car rehabilitation is supposed to make them last another 15 years. You seem to say that it is questionable about the LTR cars lasting that long. Is there any inclination from RTA that they'd be looking into new rolling stock that could function on both lines? Seems like the timelines wouldn't match up..

 

Some opinions differ, but no part of the rail system is so heavily used that it couldn't be served by a low/moderate capacity rail car capable of operating on all lines. Some rail car suppliers are well aware of the age of GCRTA's rail fleet and that they are having to cannibalize the fleet to keep the best cars running. So Siemens, which is supplying San Francisco Muni cars (which operate as both a subway and streetcar) came up with a similar design that could run on all of GCRTA's rail lines.....

 

 

EDIT: here's a view showing a possible seating arrangement.....

 

This seems like an ideal project for court services.  Let's get some adults and juveniles convicted of minor offenses to get out there and clean up the trash.

 

I've seen the court community services working along the Red Line sometimes, but I can't remember the last time I've seen them.

 

The state of the Shaker Blvd trench is awful. I'm sure there would be people willing to volunteer cleaning it up. I sure would if such an effort were organized. But, those lines seem less than a priority for the agency

 

Rail isn't a priority for the agency. GCRTA needs to start the funding programming and equipment procurement process NOW if it wants new rail cars in 5-10 years. The existing Blue/Green line cars "MAY" last that long. But GCRTA staffers on West 6th and at Central Rail, as well as Joe C's own actions or lack thereof, all point to that process not starting until after Calabrese retires. And his contract continues until 2020.

 

That's a shame.  I know that, since the time Shaker Heights own the Rapid through around the time Joe came on board, it was an annual rite of Spring to see the old trash gondola car (hauled by an old work car) make its way up the Shaker Rapid picking up trash while other workers pruned the underbrush... Now, not only is there trash down there, tree branches frequently are scratching cars/car windows from the trench to various points around/beyond E. 79th till the Blue/Green lines merge with the Red Line.

Am I the only one who doesn't necessarily have a problem with the graffiti along the Red Line?  The trash- sure, that needs to be cleaned up.  But the graffiti- I'm not wholly against.  It just doesn't send a negative message to me.    Graffiti has been on walls of cities since ancient times- and some of the graffiti along the route isn't that bad from an artistic standpoint, IMO.  I just don't get the feeling that I'm entering a negative or unsafe area due to the graffiti along the Line. 

 

Some of the graffiti I'd consider pretty good art. I'm fine with it too. The trash has been an ongoing problem for years. It's particularly disheartening to imagine someone's first trip here; they land at CLE hop on the Red Line and get to see mattresses and tires among the overgrown weeds.

 

It's a bad first impression.