Methinks RTA could be planning for those "temporary" routes to be temporary in the same sense that the Tower City elevator is "temporarily" out of service.

 

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

 

 

So it doesn't really matter if the Green Line runs past 9 pm to serve Indians games. GCRTA doesn't have enough usable light-rail cars left to serve them. The rail system isn't an option for handling large crowds any more.

 

RTA's Blue/Green Line debacle at the Cavs June 22nd championship parade certainly foreshadowed this fact...

 

... oh yeah, the PD recently crowed about the  possibility of Cavs, Browns and Indians, should the latter make the World Series, playing on the same day in late October... Wouldn't that be fun transit-wise!?

Methinks RTA could be planning for those "temporary" routes to be temporary in the same sense that the Tower City elevator is "temporarily" out of service.

 

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

For what it's worth, I was passing through Tower City on Sunday and saw somebody get off the elevator, so it is at least working some of the time. Also, according to the RTA website, the elevator is in service as of the time I post this. I can't speak for what it will be in the future, but it isn't permanently broken.

RTA E-News - Sept. 15, 2016

 

How far can the Cleveland Indians go this season?

The Indians are perched in first place with just 10 games left, nine of them at Progressive Field. So far in 2016, the Cleveland Monsters won the Calder Cup, the Cavaliers won the NBA Championship, and now the Indians are headed that way, too. The regular season ends Sept. 25, and post-season play starts immediately. No matter how far the Indians go, RTA will be there every game, providing first-class transportation to fans of a first-class ballclub. Avoid traffic hassles and the high cost of parking -- take the Rapid. Remember, Green Line service hours have changed, so you may want to ride the Blue Line to evening games.

 

[KJP: "may" want to? WILL want to unless you MAY want to avoid being stranded downtown.]

 

Could this be the year? History may be made -- let RTA take you there in style and comfort!

 

Sept. 18: Downtown bustling with beer, Browns and baseball

Everywhere you turn on Sunday, Sept. 18, there's lots to do Downtown. The Oktoberfest mixes food, beer and music all day on Public Square. The Browns open their home season at 1 p.m. at FirstEnergy Stadium, and the first-place Tribe plays at 1:10 p.m. at Progressive Field. All Rapid lines serve the Tower City Station. Just walk outside to the Oktoberfest, ride the Waterfront Line to the Browns game, or stroll down the Walkway to reach Progressive Field.

 

Downtown will be hopping on Sept. 18 -- RTA is your best bet to reach any downtown destination!

 

Sept. 23-25: IngenuityFest moves to new venue

IngenuityFest -- a free festival of art, music and technology -- moves out of Downtown for the first time this year. The colorful, creative event will be held in the former Osborne Industrial Complex, 5401 Hamilton Ave., in the St. Clair-Superior neighborhood, just east of Downtown. Hours are 5 p.m.-1 a.m. Sept. 23, noon -1 a.m. Sept. 24 and noon-5 p.m. Sept. 25. The #1 bus route on St. Clair Avenue serves the festival site 24/7. The #3 bus route on nearby Superior Avenue also operates 24/7, and is just a short walk from the Ingenuity site.

 

IngenuityFest is the place where music, art, and tech come together -- let RTA take you there, wherever it might be!

 

Sept. 24-25: Attention rail riders: Several shutdowns planned

RTA continues upgrades and needed maintenance on its rail infrastructure, to keep it in a State of Good Repair. Two Rapid lines are affected by work on the weekend of Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 24-25. The 67R buses will replace Green Line trains east of Shaker Square. 66R buses will replace Red Line trains east of Tower City. Rail stations at East 34, East 55 and East 79 will be served by Blue Line and Green Line trains only. 66R buses will also stop at Woodland and East 79, and Woodland and East 55.

 

Construction means service interruptions on East side rail lines. Find out the details here!

 

Progress continues daily on two important rail projects

RTA crews work on many projects daily, but this summer, two projects have attracted the most attention -- the new Brookpark Rapid Station and work on Track 8 at the Tower City Station. Despite a massive $10.4 million makeover project, the Brookpark Station has remained open during construction. A mid-November ribbon-cutting ceremony is eyed. Work on the heavily-used Track 8 should be completed by Thanksgiving.

Also, the Tribe has 17 games left, not 10 (although they are right about 9 home games left.)

Looking at RTA's capital projects list, I found this about the Brookpark station:

 

"RTA began to market the 15.5-acre site for development. Its proximity to Hopkins International Airport, Brookpark Road, I-71 and I-480 provide it with an excellent location. RTA officials want to incorporate the principles of transit-oriented development (TOD) to create a destination for transit riders, provide RTA customers with added conveniences, and expand the economy with jobs and investment."

 

Did this go anywhere?

Looking at RTA's capital projects list, I found this about the Brookpark station:

 

"RTA began to market the 15.5-acre site for development. Its proximity to Hopkins International Airport, Brookpark Road, I-71 and I-480 provide it with an excellent location. RTA officials want to incorporate the principles of transit-oriented development (TOD) to create a destination for transit riders, provide RTA customers with added conveniences, and expand the economy with jobs and investment."

 

Did this go anywhere?

 

There is a thread in the abandoned project subforum about TOD at the Brookpark station started in 2004 (!).

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,1790.0.html

 

Ummm, is this local reporter confused or something?

 

Hilary Golston ‏@HilaryWKYC  19m19 minutes ago

Media market wise, Denver is only 2 larger than #CLE. Light rail comes from the airport. This would be great! @Wkyc

Methinks RTA could be planning for those "temporary" routes to be temporary in the same sense that the Tower City elevator is "temporarily" out of service.

 

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

For what it's worth, I was passing through Tower City on Sunday and saw somebody get off the elevator, so it is at least working some of the time. Also, according to the RTA website, the elevator is in service as of the time I post this. I can't speak for what it will be in the future, but it isn't permanently broken.

 

This was from 2 weeks ago.  Love how Mr. Calabrese tacitly blames Tower City for the elevator issue ... then quietly moves to an RTA backdoor fix... Joe C is awesome, isn't he?

 

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2016/08/elevator_troubles_at_rtas_temp.html

Ummm, is this local reporter confused or something?

 

Hilary Golston ‏@HilaryWKYC  19m19 minutes ago

Media market wise, Denver is only 2 larger than #CLE. Light rail comes from the airport. This would be great! @Wkyc

 

Yes, the Denver media market is very close in size to the Cleveland media market

Ummm, is this local reporter confused or something?

 

Hilary Golston ‏@HilaryWKYC  19m19 minutes ago

Media market wise, Denver is only 2 larger than #CLE. Light rail comes from the airport. This would be great! @Wkyc

 

Yes, the Denver media market is very close in size to the Cleveland media market

 

And yes Cleveland has light(ish) rail from the airport.  When it's working.  Sometimes without shuttle buses and sometimes on two tracks.  Just don't get out at Tower City if you're physically challenged.    :-P

Ummm, is this local reporter confused or something?

 

Hilary Golston ‏@HilaryWKYC  19m19 minutes ago

Media market wise, Denver is only 2 larger than #CLE. Light rail comes from the airport. This would be great! @Wkyc

 

Yes, the Denver media market is very close in size to the Cleveland media market

 

And yes Cleveland has light(ish) rail from the airport.  When it's working.  Sometimes without shuttle buses and sometimes on two tracks.  Just don't get out at Tower City if you're physically challenged.    :-P

 

You can get out at Tower City...it's getting back on that's the problem.

TPH2[/member] tweeted:

So apparently the @GCRTA Green Line is indeed running late service for Indians games. https://t.co/k46Oa0zyIU

Ummm, is this local reporter confused or something?

 

Hilary Golston ‏@HilaryWKYC  19m19 minutes ago

Media market wise, Denver is only 2 larger than #CLE. Light rail comes from the airport. This would be great! @Wkyc

 

Yes, the Denver media market is very close in size to the Cleveland media market

 

And yes Cleveland has light(ish) rail from the airport.  When it's working.  Sometimes without shuttle buses and sometimes on two tracks.  Just don't get out at Tower City if you're physically challenged.    :-P

s to

You can get out at Tower City...it's getting back on that's the problem.

 

Details details!  If you do choose to get back on, there will be helpful "customer service" agents to yell at you and your children if you don't comply with their unintelligible instructions!

TPH2[/member] tweeted:

So apparently the @GCRTA Green Line is indeed running late service for Indians games. https://t.co/k46Oa0zyIU

Wait, what? So after tweeting for days not to ride the Green Line, they ran it anyway?

 

I'm guessing this was because someone saw numerous people at the Green line parking lots and they didn't want to strand people?  How much longer will this go on?  Could you just run a shuttle from Van Aken (blue) to Warrensville (green) and Green (green) and back?

TPH2[/member] tweeted:

So apparently the @GCRTA Green Line is indeed running late service for Indians games. https://t.co/k46Oa0zyIU

Wait, what? So after tweeting for days not to ride the Green Line, they ran it anyway?

 

I'm guessing this was because someone saw numerous people at the Green line parking lots and they didn't want to strand people?  How much longer will this go on and wouldn't it be cheaper and clearer to run a shuttle bus from Van Aken to Green Road to Warrensville?

Why does the @CityofCleveland hate #transit so much?? @GCRTA @DowntownCLE @CLEforTransit @GChristPD @SceneSallard https://t.co/FDfgqXGCgA

Breaking: Mechanical problem shuts down all @GCRTA Rapid trains. Buses being used until fix.

https://t.co/4BbKWzPatJ https://t.co/kUpFT3P7vB

A "mechanical issue."  RTA's usual detailed communication to severely inconvenienced riders at the agency's mercy. The beat goes on.

^^btw, RTA's website says it's only the Red Line that's affected.

Breaking: Mechanical problem shuts down all @GCRTA Rapid trains. Buses being used until fix.

https://t.co/4BbKWzPatJ https://t.co/kUpFT3P7vB

 

This was still news around 11, when I was trying to get home from Oktoberfest.  I ended up taking an extended tour of the west side on the 81.

Cleveland.com reported that Blue and Green service was back at some point last evening and Red line was restored at start of service today.  Might explain the message on the website.

But there has still been no explanation of what was the "mechanical issue." That could be anything. Does anybody here locally care enough to hold RTA accountable?  It seems RTA managers have a blank check to do and say whatever they want.

Last night I tried getting my friend to use the Rapid but he insisted on Uber.  Lucky he did!  That would have been his last attempt at rail transit ever.

^ I believe it was an issue involving the pantograph on one of the rail cars. But I don't know any details.

Well now waterfront line service is down. This is ridiculous

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well now waterfront line service is down. This is ridiculous

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It looks like that was a separate incident: http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2016/09/man_injured_on_rta_tracks_near.html#incart_river_home

I noticed that the artics were missing from both the 22 and 26 today.  Is RTA not going to use them on Sundays anymore?  I took a 26 from Ohio City to Lakewood this afternoon and there was a standing load all the way into Lakewood. 

Can you enlighten me on what the artics are?

 

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

 

 

Articulated bus? Guessing based on the context.

Not sure if there is a formal way to point these things out:  The buses which run down Grovewood (37?) between E. 156th and Villaview have developed a habit of cutting off traffic on those streets.  This morning one basically caused a NB car on 156th who had the yellow to slam his brakes, I had to slow down significantly SB because he pulled into that lane turning.  He had flashing red, us yellow, there was no traffic behind myself or the other car.  I've been cut off eastbound on Villaview off Grovewood as well, Grovewood has a stop sign, Villaview does not.  One or two incidents I would blow off, but I have seen four or five in the last two months.

Why does the @CityofCleveland hate #transit so much?? @GCRTA @DowntownCLE @CLEforTransit @GChristPD @SceneSallard https://t.co/FDfgqXGCgA

 

Where are our political leaders on this?  Mayor Jackson and the plethora of city council members?  State and federal legislators?  It's funny how when ODOT threatens to delay the second half of the innerbelt bridge that they were out in force, but they are sitting on their hands watching our rail system circle the drain! 

 

KJP[/member]--it may be time for a form letter and list of office emails and/or addresses that we can circulate at least on UO to have everyone drop to Mayor Jackson, etc.  Could All Aboard Ohio compose something stating facts on the current and looming budget crisis?

Can you enlighten me on what the artics are?

 

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

 

 

 

Artic is short for articulated...

 

 

Why does the @CityofCleveland hate #transit so much?? @GCRTA @DowntownCLE @CLEforTransit @GChristPD @SceneSallard https://t.co/FDfgqXGCgA

 

Where are our political leaders on this?  Mayor Jackson and the plethora of city council members?  State and federal legislators?  It's funny how when ODOT threatens to delay the second half of the innerbelt bridge that they were out in force, but they are sitting on their hands watching our rail system circle the drain! 

 

KJP[/member]--it may be time for a form letter and list of office emails and/or addresses that we can circulate at least on UO to have everyone drop to Mayor Jackson, etc.  Could All Aboard Ohio compose something stating facts on the current and looming budget crisis?

 

Yes.

Rode the Redline and then the waterfront line to the game yesterday.  When we went to get on the waterfront line at Tower City, they only allowed maybe half the train to be filled.  There were so many empty seats on the train and we left with at least 100 people waiting in line for the next one!  I didn't ride it coming back so I can't comment on how many people they allowed on the trains after the game. 

 

Are they limiting the number of people on the trains because of mechanical issues?

Rode the Redline and then the waterfront line to the game yesterday.  When we went to get on the waterfront line at Tower City, they only allowed maybe half the train to be filled.  There were so many empty seats on the train and we left with at least 100 people waiting in line for the next one!  I didn't ride it coming back so I can't comment on how many people they allowed on the trains after the game. 

 

Are they limiting the number of people on the trains because of mechanical issues?

 

I'm not sure about that.  I have read, from those in the know, that about only 12 Light rail trains are mechanically able to run but not that, those running had limits as to how many passengers they could handle... Were they running 2-car trains to the game on the Waterfront Line?

Transit advocates and even those somehow hoping the NS line could become a bike path will be disappointed to learn that more freight trains will start coming through Lakewood in 2017...

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,8721.msg818885.html#msg818885

Rode the Redline and then the waterfront line to the game yesterday.  When we went to get on the waterfront line at Tower City, they only allowed maybe half the train to be filled.  There were so many empty seats on the train and we left with at least 100 people waiting in line for the next one!  I didn't ride it coming back so I can't comment on how many people they allowed on the trains after the game. 

 

Are they limiting the number of people on the trains because of mechanical issues?

 

I'm not sure about that.  I have read, from those in the know, that about only 12 Light rail trains are mechanically able to run but not that, those running had limits as to how many passengers they could handle... Were they running 2-car trains to the game on the Waterfront Line?

 

Yes, 2 trains when I rode from Tower City to FEB at 10:30am.  I just thought it was really odd that they only allowed half the train to be filled when there was a huge line of people waiting to get on.  The only other thing that I could think of was that they wanting to leave room for people boarding at Settler's Landing or FEB.  But not many people board at those locations, especially that early to game time.

Why does the @CityofCleveland hate #transit so much?? @GCRTA @DowntownCLE @CLEforTransit @GChristPD @SceneSallard https://t.co/FDfgqXGCgA

 

Where are our political leaders on this?  Mayor Jackson and the plethora of city council members?  State and federal legislators?  It's funny how when ODOT threatens to delay the second half of the innerbelt bridge that they were out in force, but they are sitting on their hands watching our rail system circle the drain! 

 

KJP[/member]--it may be time for a form letter and list of office emails and/or addresses that we can circulate at least on UO to have everyone drop to Mayor Jackson, etc.  Could All Aboard Ohio compose something stating facts on the current and looming budget crisis?

 

Well said and a good idea. 

 

Sadly transit in this town doesn't have the political umph as highways because politicians and other local leaders see trains as ferrying poor blacks and whites, including a number of college/post college millenials, ... none having much political clout.  Much different story for highways like the OC or the Inner Belt bridge which are used by folks like Toby Cosgrove & his CC cohorts or Jones Day partners, etc... When their highways are delayed for any reason, they yell "jump" and Mayor Jackson asks: "How high?"

RTA's Green Line will not run after the Indians game tonight

 

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2016/09/rtas_green_line_will_not_run_a.html#incart_river_home

This is very sad for me personally after growing up walking to the green line for games, but I can't really disagree with RTA's decision here. Game-related ridership is probably in the toilet along with attendance and there's redundant service.

At 7:20am from @gcrta...

Good morning, we apologize for your inconvenience, but the track 7 elevator inside Tower City is currently down. We will update w/more info.

 

Maybe consider a zip line instead??

At 7:20am from @gcrta...

Good morning, we apologize for your inconvenience, but the track 7 elevator inside Tower City is currently down. We will update w/more info.

 

Maybe consider a zip line instead??

 

This is outrageous.  Wasn't there talk of a class ADA complaint?  It should definitely be filed.

"Buses can be as liberating and efficient as your city wants them to be. The more efficient and liberating they are, the more they deserve to be celebrated in infrastructure. The bus stop is one of the biggest signals, to everyone in the city, about the community's attitude toward buses and their customers." -- Human Transit author Jarrett Walker

 

Does anyone know why RTA closed the entire East Side Rapid system for the weekend ... again?

I saw track work being done east of Shaker Square two nights ago. Perhaps it's a continuation of that?

Does anyone know why RTA closed the entire East Side Rapid system for the weekend ... again?

 

ODOT construction on the east bound Innerbelt Bridge above the tracks

 

Edit: Source, from Ginger Christ http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2016/09/rta_buses_to_replace_trains_on.html

I thought that bridge opened for traffic a week ago... Maybe it's just me, but it sure seems like it takes vry little to cause RTA  to completely close rail lines here. It seems they actually plan for it. I find it absurd that a transit system spends a significant sum to buy and post temp bus replacement signs at all 50 Rapid stations; this by a system that is supposedly broke, raising fares and (drastically) cutting service. In fact I've never seen ANY system post such expensive signs. Maybe it's just me. Most people seem fine with it. ...so RTA will continue to do what it wants to do with little flack.

I thought that bridge opened for traffic a week ago... Maybe it's just me, but it sure seems like it takes vry little to cause RTA  to completely close rail lines here. It seems they actually plan for it. I find it absurd that a transit system spends a significant sum to buy and post temp bus replacement signs at all 50 Rapid stations; this by a system that is supposedly broke, raising fares and (drastically) cutting service. In fact I've never seen ANY system post such expensive signs. Maybe it's just me. Most people seem fine with it. ...so RTA will continue to do what it wants to do with little flack.

 

Honest question, if RTA didn't have those temporary bus replacement station signs, would you be complaining that RTA should have better signage for riders when the rail system is shut down?

^No. As I posted before, why not do what other transit systems, including RTA before, just print cheap but not eyesore paper and/or card stock, and staple them to telephone poles when needed; which are easily disposable?....does the job for a hell of a lot less money.

...and you didn't answer my question about ODOT (attack first, right?). Wasn't the Inner Belt supposed to be finished and are you cool with RTA's high number of shutdowns?  I'm curious.

I'd look up what ODOT is doing and tell you, but you can do that just as easily. Unless you prefer to complain first?

 

And I encourage you to follow other transit systems on Twitter, especially those with older rail systems. Virtually every one of them has rail line or station closure or reduced service on most weekends.