If you've ever ridden the downtown trolleys you'd know he is wrong.  I've already gone over this.

You've made this comment before and you're wrong.  Do you even ride buses?

You've made this comment before and you're wrong.  Do you even ride buses?

 

All the time. Trains and the trolley as well.

And you think the trolleys are full of rich tourists?  You must ride different trolleys than I do.

It's why Cleveland RTA carries more than double the riders that COTA carries.

 

Here's the annual transit ridership in Ohio's largest cities. https://t.co/YoHoWlsEur

 

I don't even believe those fudged figures. At this point, I'm convinced RTA is just corrupt and pulling this stuff out of their arse. Is there a way we can verify that what they're releasing is even correct? All of these figures I see are just so unbelievable. Especially with the ridership of the trolleys. I've taken public transit extensively in both cities. Aside from all that, the ridership may be a lot higher with GCRTA but that doesn't necessarily speak on the quality of service. I know for a fact that comparable routes in Columbus run much more frequently. The only route in Cleveland I've experienced that compares to any route in Columbus is the Health Line which from my experience seems to run every 10-15 minutes. Any main thoroughfare in Columbus comparable to Cedar Rd. would have service every 30 minutes, tops. I know because I've taken those routes frequently! I don't care about ridership numbers. That speaks more on citizens who have no other choice but to take it. The buses in CLE that run once an hour tend to be packed to the brim and force people to have to stand because they run so infrequently. I care about quality of service for citizens who rely on the service. Those same citizens who are paying taxes that go toward that transit system.

 

That's not to mention the fact that the bus drivers in Cleveland are exceptionally rude/ have horrible attitudes for some reason. Also, that what seems to be half of the buses, having no air conditioning when it's sweltering hot in the summer despite their high fares. You are doing your city a disservice defending RTA through these points.

^ I really think you just have a poor attitude towards all things in Cleveland.  RTA is not perfect but you are exagerating.  I ride buses everyday and find most drivers great me pleasantly. 

I actually think RTA should make all of their trains free for a week or a month. Get people on there who have never tried it, the same way a restauranteur gives away free samples. In the long run it would be beneficial.

I just don't believe it's fair that some people are entitled to ride public transit for free while others are obligated to pay, which allows the system to function and exist. The affluent with disposable income, gracing everyone else aboard with their presence, is not a justifiable cause for free fares.

 

Then you should tell the private sector sponsors of the free routes to stop sponsoring them to make them free. The downtown businesses approached RTA about creating the services, not the other way around. They are entitled to cl fund transportation that supports their businesses.

I just don't believe it's fair that some people are entitled to ride public transit for free while others are obligated to pay, which allows the system to function and exist. The affluent with disposable income, gracing everyone else aboard with their presence, is not a justifiable cause for free fares.

 

Then you should tell the private sector sponsors of the free routes to stop sponsoring them to make them free. The downtown businesses approached RTA about creating the services, not the other way around. They are entitled to cl fund transportation that supports their businesses.

 

Exactly.  How much would the Waterfront Line cost to operate it's current schedule for a year.  Maybe Ernst & Young would step up to the plate.

 

I don't even believe those fudged figures. At this point, I'm convinced RTA is just corrupt and pulling this stuff out of their arse. Is there a way we can verify that what they're releasing is even correct? All of these figures I see are just so unbelievable. Especially with the ridership of the trolleys. I've taken public transit extensively in both cities. Aside from all that, the ridership may be a lot higher with GCRTA but that doesn't necessarily speak on the quality of service. I know for a fact that comparable routes in Columbus run much more frequently. The only route in Cleveland I've experienced that compares to any route in Columbus is the Health Line which from my experience seems to run every 10-15 minutes.

 

So you say they're fake stats then say they might be real but the real issue is bad service? Ok. How is it possible then to have a debate with you if you are going to automatically reject all audited data out-of-hand?

 

The three rail lines in Cleveland account for one out of five system riders. The nearly 100 bus routes account for the rest. Routes like the #1, #3, #6 (HealthLine), #15, #22, #26, #41, #51s, #55s and the trolleys all offer frequent service and most carry 1 million or more riders each.

^The #14 Kinsman is pretty heavy too, isn't it Ken?  I know it's a 24/7 route.

Here's the RTA routes with 1+ million riders per year (2015 -- the latest that were federally audited). I also threw in a few that were pretty close to 1 million.....

 

1 1.9m

3 1.6m

10 1.5m

14 1.9m

15 2.0m

19 0.9m

22 1.7m

26 1.8m

28 1.3m

40 0.9m

41 1.4m

48 0.9m

51 1.8m

55 1.5m (CLE State Line)

61/62 1.0m (trolleys)

65 4.4m (HealthLine)

66 6.4m (Red Line)

67 2.6m (Blue/Green Lines)

Where does the 55 CSU line stack up?  I'm surprised it isn't over 1 million.

You're probably right. I was using the pre-upgrade data for the #55. Annual ridership on the 55s before the upgrade was about 500,000. RTA says the ridership on the line has grown 439 percent since then. That would put it well over 1.5 million now. I've updated the list above.

 

 

maybe someone can do a photo thread on these sometime?

 

 

Inter-Urban Street Festival Celebrates First Anniversary of Red Line Murals

 

Posted By Josh Usmani on Mon, May 15, 2017 at 11:29 am

 

 

more:

http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2017/05/15/inter-urban-street-festival-celebrates-first-anniversary-of-red-line-murals

Those statistics are really cool! I wonder what percentage of people have to stand up on an over-crowded bus, or the percentage of buses that actually come when they're supposed to and what percentage of buses don't have A/C in the summer time. Or even the percentage of pleasant drivers. I bet we'll never know.

 

I believe those figures like I believe the posters outside of RTA headquarters proclaiming it's ranked the best transit city in America.

I'm sorry to hear you chose to move to a part of Greater Cleveland that had, lost and deserves better public transportation. But most of your emotionally charged opinions simply aren't based on fact, reality or information available. I also encourage you to experience more of the metro area and its transit services before offering opinions.

 

Allow me to give you some more solid ground to stand on and start from: RTA's ridership figures are federally audited. Its "best transit system" award from 2007 was not.

 

Thank for your passions, however.

Your weekly RTA rail system shutdown. Hopefully it won't last long....

 

Greater Cleve RTA‏ @GCRTA  1h1 hour ago

66R and 67R buses replace all rail lines, due to an electronic issue in the system until further notice.

^Oy!

http://teachingcleveland.org/transportation-in-northeast-ohio-wheres-the-equity/

 

“Transportation in Northeast Ohio. Where’s the equity?” a forum on Weds June 14, 2017

 

“Transportation in Northeast Ohio.

Where’s the equity?”

 

Wednesday June 14, 2017 7:00-8:30p.m.

Cost: Free & Open to the Public

Urban Community School 4909 Lorain Avenue, Cleveland OH 44102

 

RSVP here  Event flyer here

Panelists:

Derek Bauman, Vice Chairman, All Aboard Ohio

 

Grace Gallucci, Executive Director, NOACA: Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency

 

Hunter Morrison, Senior Fellow, Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs

 

Akshai Singh, Member, Clevelanders for Public Transit

 

Moderator: Ginger Christ, Reporter, Plain Dealer

 

This panel will discuss the role transportation plays in creating more equitable communities. It will tackle how to offer affordable public transit and design infrastructure to meet the needs of residents throughout the region and examine the funding challenges in doing so.

 

“Transportation in Northeast Ohio. Where’s the equity?” a forum on Weds June 14, 2017

 

I was hoping to attend last night, but wasn't able to make it. Anyone go? Anything to report back about?

Check the All Aboard Ohio twitter account.

Wish I could have made it.  Not getting into town til' tomorrow night.  I'm sure it was interesting; will check out AAO's account.

Got into town Friday night and Saturday evening, after attending an excellent, well-attended Shaker Square Festival + Larchmere Porchfest, we headed downtown... by car; wanted to go to the Flats which was both: great decision/big mistake).  It was around 10:30 or so when we arrived downtown. But heading north from Public Square, we knew there was trouble ahead -- 2 solid lines of traffic on St. Clair and Lakeside heading westbound ... into the Flats.  They were both literal parking lots; but what choice did we have.  It was a gorgeous breezy night after a hot/humid 92 degree day... Who wouldn't want to be down near water where all the excitement was?

 

But the drive in was a nightmare.  It took about 30-35 minutes to get down to the Flats and ditch the car at the first available place we could find -- in this case, we saw a car leaving the $10 lot next to the Archer Apts.  People wise, I haven't seen the Flats this packed since the glory days of the 90s.  Every venue was overflowing; the outdoor deck Coastal Taco was converted into a disco with a DJ; the food-only Alley Cat closed at around 11:30, not long after we arrived.  But the narrow FEB streets were total gridlock.

 

Obvious solution: run the RTA Waterfront Line until 2p (last train, Blue Line, actually leaving at 2:15) from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend.  This was done in the late 90s early 2000s to much success.  Rapid trains -- oftentimes running in 2-car sets, were highly patronized.  Even packed on some runs, esp when the clubs/bars generally were closing between 1:30 and 2p.  This policy was done until the Flats declined in the early 2000s.  But they are clearly alive and well today -- and they still are being developed.

 

We didn't see any free Trolleys, but if we did, they would have been gridlocked just like every other the vehicle (plus the Trolleys shut down after 11p anyway, as I understand).  There are only a few vehicles known to mankind that could have circumnavigated that traffic: a helicopter, a personal jetpack ... or an RTA Waterfront Line train ... much as WFL trains did in the 90s as we rolled past standing cars heading to Tower City and the burbs.  So why not now? 

 

All Aboard Ohio's advocacy in this would make sense and could move the dial.  And after one brief comment by Adam Fishman griping about the (then) proposed WFL cutbacks, we haven't heard squat from Fairmount, who's FEB development would certainly benefit from WFL trains lightening the gridlock.

 

It was such a mess, we decided to sit along the Boardwalk, then outside Coastal Taco and wait until the traffic eased ... by about 3:30a!!!  But it was warm and fun and a lot of folks were doing the same.  Great boat and people watching, including watching the furious traffic security guy yelling at disobedient drivers and nearly get into fights with some of them; poor guy eventually got into an argument with his fellow security guy, cuss him out and stomp off the job in a huff ...

 

Run the damn Rapid to handle these crowds.  but don't take if from me... Overheard was one angry gridlocked driver yelling to his brood has his car was literally sitting on the Rapid waiting for the traffic to move up the Main Ave hill:  "They built the damn train, why don't they use it!?"

... this guy was a lot more succinct that I've been in this post...

Where are all the free parking spots downtown that I've heard about on here when I was talking about what a nightmare it is to park downtown? I'd really like to know. Obviously when big events are going on, I wouldn't expect them to be available but I'd love to know where those free spaces are, downtown.

All sorts of free spaces on weekends downtown.  On street parking usually requires some walking.  I can't remember the last time I paid to park downtown except out of shear laziness.

^Somebody told you there was lots of free parking spaces downtown and you believe him?  The only free parking I can think of is on streets on the fringes of downtown (I do that often for Browns games) which then require quite a hike.  I cannot think of any MAJOR American city where downtown free parking is the norm.

^Somebody told you there was lots of free parking spaces downtown and you believe him?  The only free parking I can think of is on streets on the fringes of downtown (I do that often for Browns games) which then require quite a hike.  I cannot think of any MAJOR American city where downtown free parking is the norm.

 

Metered spots are free on the weekend. I don't remember ever having to pay to park downtown on a weekend.

Park somewhere cheap and uber the rest. Sometimes that makes a world of difference.

^Somebody told you there was lots of free parking spaces downtown and you believe him?  The only free parking I can think of is on streets on the fringes of downtown (I do that often for Browns games) which then require quite a hike.  I cannot think of any MAJOR American city where downtown free parking is the norm.

 

Metered spots are free on the weekend. I don't remember ever having to pay to park downtown on a weekend.

 

Agreed. Game days are hard because they take the Gateway meters out of service. But non-gameday weekend parking spots usually  arent that difficult to find.

Speaking of ways of addressing traffic and supporting local developments, here's an idea, below. I'll also develop a concept for a stop at the Edgewater beachhouse/West 76 underpass. But this one will address some of the emerging mixed used developments in the area and turn the Shoreway Boulevard into a draw for TOD....

 

clevelandstatebrt-west50thstop by Ken Prendergast, on Flickr

Did I see somewhere that RTA officially added the 73rd/Edgewater stop for the summer?

Did I see somewhere that RTA officially added the 73rd/Edgewater stop for the summer?

 

Yes, Saturdays only. Bus stop at the bottom of the ramp in both directions. Next-closest stop to Edgewater on all days of service is at Clifton and Lake. There's a pedestrian underpass on the Shoreway side of Lake Avenue that gets you into the upper part of the park.

 

Given the traffic and the Edgewater LIVE events on Thursdays, plus the growing development of the bluffs overlooking the lake, more stations and more access are needed, IMHO.

 

Given the traffic and the Edgewater LIVE events on Thursdays, plus the growing development of the bluffs overlooking the lake, more stations and more access are needed, IMHO.

 

No question about it.

 

Given the traffic and the Edgewater LIVE events on Thursdays, plus the growing development of the bluffs overlooking the lake, more stations and more access are needed, IMHO.

 

No question about it.

 

Maybe time for a light rail line out the middle of the Shoreway and Clifton. 

^Somebody told you there was lots of free parking spaces downtown and you believe him?  The only free parking I can think of is on streets on the fringes of downtown (I do that often for Browns games) which then require quite a hike.  I cannot think of any MAJOR American city where downtown free parking is the norm.

 

I mentioned that it was $25 to park downtown during a concert that I went to some time ago, and mentioned the scarce parking situation downtown in general and definitely mentioned it as a person who supports and promotes public transit but I can't remember exactly how the conversation went down when I was told this. However, they felt the need to act like they didn't know what the hell I was talking about. I'm known for criticizing RTA and perceived as someone who just hates anything Cleveland even though I intend to spend the rest of my life here and love this city and just want what is best for it but certain Cleveland boosters tend to feel the need to defend The Land in response to any of my posts, whether I provide valid criticism or not. I don't expect free parking - Downtown Cleveland is on fire; but it was brought to my attention. They spoke about how Rock&Roller parks downtown everyday for FREE when she goes to work so I was just wondering where these free parking spaces are. I don't expect someone to make it publicly known where free parking spaces are but I thought maybe since I've been a member on this site for almost 12 years and am generally cool with most folks on this forum, I'd at least get the hook-up through a private message. That never happened, though :(

 

My girlfriend pays a butt-load of money to park at CSU for her classes and whenever we go downtown we usually take advantage of her parking pass and just walk 10-15 blocks or whatever but if there really is free spots near downtown, I genuinely want to know about it as it would save a lot of money for CSU and Downtown purposes.

 

I didn't know meters were free on weekends. That includes Saturday and Sunday, yeah? Good to know, even though I honestly don't recall ever having the opportunity to even use one.

 

Abundant, free downtown parking isn't a good thing for a healthy city. I'm glad Downtown Cleveland isn't like Downtown Columbus; but if there's free parking spots, I want to know about it!

 

I didn't know meters were free on weekends. That includes Saturday and Sunday, yeah? Good to know, even though I honestly don't recall ever having the opportunity to even use one.

 

 

Yep, Sat and Sunday. Weekdays generally after 6pm. And also "major holidays," though we could never get any info from the city on what that really includes. Is MLK Day a "major" holiday? How about Veterans Day? I wouldn't risk either!

 

I see the W. 25-Ohio City Red Line elevator is listed as being back in service after about a week of being out.  This is inexcusable as W. 25, aside from Tower City, has the steepest climb to street level (and along a narrow stairway at a busy station, on top of that).  The difference being, of course, is that while TC (the busiest station in the system) is served by 2 sets of escalators and an ADA-compliant elevator, W. 25th only has 1 elevator.  On Tuesday while going to/from this station, I witnessed an elderly gentleman with a walker waiting mid-level on the stairs, either waiting till a group of folks heading down to pass so he could continue struggling upwards (or he was just plain pooped).  Later I saw a young couple struggling to carry their baby's stroller (with the baby in it!) down the steep stairs to the platform.

 

It's inexcusable for RTA to keep such a critical elevator out for so long... but hey, West Boulevard's station is listed with its elevator being down since June 13, ... their escalator down since December 26, 2016!!!!

 

I didn't know meters were free on weekends. That includes Saturday and Sunday, yeah? Good to know, even though I honestly don't recall ever having the opportunity to even use one.

 

 

Yep, Sat and Sunday. Weekdays generally after 6pm. And also "major holidays," though we could never get any info from the city on what that really includes. Is MLK Day a "major" holiday? How about Veterans Day? I wouldn't risk either!

 

 

FYI, they city-wide parking holidays are New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and MLK Day, and downtown-only on Black Friday and December 26th

Word is that Mayor Jackson is still trying to get his appointees on the RTA board to push out Joe Calabrese so that Jackson can remove the bus lanes through Public Square. Truly a petty, vision-less man, our mayor. There's way too many people too close to retirement who are running things in this town. Need some young blood to replace Cleveland's "leaders" with their dusty ol' brains and lazy, atrophied muscles.

Word is that Mayor Jackson is still trying to get his appointees on the RTA board to push out Joe Calabrese so that Jackson can remove the bus lanes through Public Square. Truly a petty, vision-less man, our mayor. There's way too many people too close to retirement who are running things in this town. Need some young blood to replace Cleveland's "leaders" with their dusty ol' brains and lazy, atrophied muscles.

 

How would that change the FTA ruling on violating their contract? 

 

How would that change the FTA ruling on violating their contract? 

 

It wouldn't. But those who are/think they are powerful believe the laws do not apply to them.

 

How would that change the FTA ruling on violating their contract? 

 

It wouldn't. But those who are/think they are powerful believe the laws do not apply to them.

 

I was gonna say--Calabrese seemed at first willing to go along with keeping the square closed, until the FTA reminded him of his agreements.

For the first time, RTA will not provide Waterfront Line service to the 4th of July fireworks celebration in the Flats.  Also the Indians game starts at 7p (which is when WFL service ends).  RTA's website states you can walk down into the Flats and take the free (as in financed by companies RTA reached out to) Trolleys... Waterfront trains were always well patronized for the 4th fireworks shows; RTA's even had to collect off-train fare collectors to accommodate the crowds at Settlers Landing... This isn't about RTA saving money. It's about Joe C making plan to continually make Waterfront trains irrelevant and attempting to phase out the service completely.  And because of Joe's mentality toward rail, don't think other parts of the rail system aren't or won't be going through a similar process.

I wouldn't mind seeing him gone and probably most of the board that back him.  It would be nice to have a proactively pro-TOD leader instead of a "we can't afford that" kind of leader.

I wouldn't mind seeing him gone and probably most of the board that back him.  It would be nice to have a proactively pro-TOD leader instead of a "we can't afford that" kind of leader.

 

How do we get this done?  I'm not sure of the political/legal setup of RTA....

Mayor Jackson is still pushing to get rid of Calabrese through his four appointees on the RTA board. But be careful of what you ask for. Based on other Jackson appointees, I wouldn't be too excited in having an RTA general manager that ignores federal agreements merely to ingratiate Cleveland's mayor.

 

But there may soon be new pressure on changing the makeup of the RTA board from a Cleveland-dominated board to one that is more representative of the distribution of the county's population. Jackson could usurp this with a quid pro quo -- by finding new Cleveland-based revenue sources to address RTA's huge backlog of state-of-good-repair needs and some expansion.

 

As for having a pro-TOD leader at RTA, it's true that RTA isn't doing as much with TOD as other transit GMs in other cities, especially growing cities. But to say that RTA isn't pro TOD is flat out wrong. I've seen TOD gain a much higher priority at RTA during Calabrese's tenure. And he'll be the first to tell you that this has more to do with external influences, including the back-to-the-city movement, cost/environmentally-conscious Millennials, downsizing Baby Boomers, and a greater push to address the worsening spatial disconnect between jobs and job-seekers through transit-proximate development. That's as it should be. I don't think I'd want a transit agency GM to try to change the course of an overwhelming current of changing market conditions, demographics and public policy challenges. An effective transit agency GM tries to assert his agency as a tool to help respond to these changing conditions. One can argue that Calabrese was late to the game on TOD, but he and RTA are fully immersed now.

 

RTA cannot affect land use near its stations like a city can. When RTA owns property it isn't using, it has to justify to the Federal Transit Administration why it should still own the land or it must sell that land. That's what happened with RTA's unused property at the Triskett station that was sold for use as a day care center -- designed as a low-density, single-use structure just like the day care operator's Lorain County site. RTA does have land use guidelines regarding development at/near stations, but they are only suggestions. They do not carry the force of zoning or other municipal land use controls or incentives.

 

RTA is facing a similar situation with an old overflow parking lot just west of the West Boulevard/Cudell station. But NOACA is taking the lead on this effort after it won a TOD planning grant and is bringing together RTA, the city, the CDC and others into remaking the area around this and two other TOD pilot project sites. But RTA is going to be the one issuing the RFPs to any prospective developers wishing to develop its properties at/near the West Boulevard station. This will likely occur after Detroit Avenue is narrowed, a public realm is created at the station, and the intersection with Berea Road is realigned. A lot of public sector financing tools are going to have to brought to bear to make a high-density development here viable.

 

Another example is RTA's involvement in TOD initiatives surrounding their East 79th and East 34th/Campus stations. RTA wanted to close these stations, absent other station-area developments that would justify keeping them open. I wanted RTA to move these stations to more active/development-ready sites. RTA got its wish by getting the city and the CDCs to develop station-area development plans. And based on what we're seeing thus far (see Opportunity Corridor/East Side development threads), the planning looks very good. We'll see what actually gets built. But kudos to RTA for putting the onus on the city/CDCs to get station-area development that would justify keeping these stations open. And as we've seen with the West 65th and Euclid-120th stations, sometimes threatening to close a station wakes up neighborhood stakeholders to get off their butts and create a more transit-supportive station hinterland.

Calabrese may have done a few positive things for rail.  I wish he was more proactive regarding TOD but I realize he's somewhat limited regarding non-RTA property and that the City needs to partner with RTA.  (I do note, however, with the talk of growth along the Opportunity Corridor roadway which Joe advocated, I haven't heard a peep out of him re potential TOD around the several Rapid stations in the area) ... The main problem with Calabrese is his overall approach to rail has been indifference to negative.  He has steadfastly and personally scuttled several proposals to rail growth, notably on the West Side, by jumping to BRT solutions without even considering rail.  Early in his tenure when Brook Park's mayor (I believe) suggested a branch of the Red Line along I-480 to the Great Northern Mall, he publically denounced it. 

 

But even worse is the fact that he's killing the current system by neglect.  He never addressed the issue of failing older cars, especially on the Blue and Green lines, with any coherent plans for the future.  He just got angry at the logical question that portions of the system could close as a result.  He's cutting back on rail services which is causing a hardship on riders.  He closed Green Line services after 9p last December but, in the process, riders on the downtown-to-Shaker Square leg were suddenly stuck with half hourly Blue Line service.  Why not run Green Line trains just to Shaker Square and then turn them back after 9p? 

 

And maintenance on the trains and in stations is terrible.  Both are dirty; elevators and the few escalators are constantly out of service for weeks or even months at a time -- apparently West Blvd's escalator has been out since December and there are no plans for fixing it.

 

Calabrese has cut back on Waterfront Line service and refuses to expand at all, even when this summer Flats East Bank popularity has grown/is growing exponentially.  Sure its easy to look and say people aren't riding the so called "Ghost Trains" but RTA has effectively scared people away from the service.  RTA ignores it/doesn't promote it at all and people don't even consider it.  Humans have a way of making due without; people are clearly excited about the reborn FEB (huge, just-opened Margaritaville has been packed to the gills since it opened but it's only 1 restaurant/bar/retail, etc of several new joints)  and will get there by any means -- but having a Rapid Transit there and not using it is ridiculous... And evenings like last night's 4th of July fireworks was ridiculous with huge crowds and no trains and (as predicted) Trolleys caught in the heavy traffic, not even moving for 15-20 minutes at a time.  And besides, even RTA acknowledged on its website that most people just down to view the fireworks come with blankets and chairs for the grassy areas near the Settlers Landing station as they always have done... but Calabrese's Trolleys, imperfect though they are, only serve the FEB blocks away.  It was absurd seeing people struggling in cars and waiting for crowded, stuck Trolleys while an existing, private-ROW rapid transit system serving the area lay dormant.  Cancelling WFL service for he fireworks was strictly Calabrese meanness and indifference to rail and, alone, should be grounds for firing him.

 

Now that WFL fireworks services have been cut, what next: ending Browns' extra service?  Maybe he'll think those free, corporate-financed Trolley's can do the trick for  the thousands who rely on WFL trains each Browns Sundays.

 

And KJP, even though Mayor Jackson totally botched the Public Square access issue last year, I'll take my chances in having a Frank Jackson "yes" man/woman RTA GM in Calabrese's place.  Calabrese has been GM for 16 years -- 16 years too many -- and he's the worst big-city transit chief I've ever seen.  None in America are as regressive towards the rail system that he should be grateful to have.  While I'm not saying there's no merit to other RTA services, especially the Health Line and CSU Line BRTs, but the rail Rapid Transit is and should be the premiere showpiece of the system and yet Joe C treats it like  its an annoying, expensive bus...

 

Bottom line: Joe's gotta go.  The sooner the better.

 

What would the ramifications be of an RTA board with more county/regional interests? I hope they would push for better service in their areas, which means expansion (hopefully rail). My concern is that they'll push for additional cuts because they "don't use transit anyway."

 

As for Jackson trying to push out Calabrese. I've disagreed with most of Jackson's decisions the last few years, so I'm weary whenever I see him politicking where politics shouldn't be involved. I'm no fan of Calabrese but at least he's pushed for heavy investment in new stations and track improvements, even if what we really want is new rail service. I wouldn't shed a tear if Calabrese stepped down, but I consider him the lesser of two evils if Jackson is involved.

Joe has made some rail infrastructure improvements like the S-Curve, the Tower City westbound track and the Airport tunnel.  He's also kept the station rebuilding program that started under his predecessor, at least in part, because the Feds have demanded ADA compliance of all older rail systems.  As for the greatest rail improvement under Joe's tenure -- the relocation of Red Line's E. 120 station to Mayfield-Little Italy, I give more credit to UCI's Chris Ronayne than Calabrese.  Yes Joe's kept the rail system running ... barely.  But I think we should have higher expectations from a transit chief than implementing near emergency infrastructure programs.  Cleveland's transit system is too important to it's future.

Mayor Jackson is still pushing to get rid of Calabrese through his four appointees on the RTA board. But be careful of what you ask for. Based on other Jackson appointees, I wouldn't be too excited in having an RTA general manager that ignores federal agreements merely to ingratiate Cleveland's mayor.

 

But there may soon be new pressure on changing the makeup of the RTA board from a Cleveland-dominated board to one that is more representative of the distribution of the county's population. Jackson could usurp this with a quid pro quo -- by finding new Cleveland-based revenue sources to address RTA's huge backlog of state-of-good-repair needs and some expansion.

 

As for having a pro-TOD leader at RTA, it's true that RTA isn't doing as much with TOD as other transit GMs in other cities, especially growing cities. But to say that RTA isn't pro TOD is flat out wrong. I've seen TOD gain a much higher priority at RTA during Calabrese's tenure. And he'll be the first to tell you that this has more to do with external influences, including the back-to-the-city movement, cost/environmentally-conscious Millennials, downsizing Baby Boomers, and a greater push to address the worsening spatial disconnect between jobs and job-seekers through transit-proximate development. That's as it should be. I don't think I'd want a transit agency GM to try to change the course of an overwhelming current of changing market conditions, demographics and public policy challenges. An effective transit agency GM tries to assert his agency as a tool to help respond to these changing conditions. One can argue that Calabrese was late to the game on TOD, but he and RTA are fully immersed now.

 

RTA cannot affect land use near its stations like a city can. When RTA owns property it isn't using, it has to justify to the Federal Transit Administration why it should still own the land or it must sell that land. That's what happened with RTA's unused property at the Triskett station that was sold for use as a day care center -- designed as a low-density, single-use structure just like the day care operator's Lorain County site. RTA does have land use guidelines regarding development at/near stations, but they are only suggestions. They do not carry the force of zoning or other municipal land use controls or incentives.

 

RTA is facing a similar situation with an old overflow parking lot just west of the West Boulevard/Cudell station. But NOACA is taking the lead on this effort after it won a TOD planning grant and is bringing together RTA, the city, the CDC and others into remaking the area around this and two other TOD pilot project sites. But RTA is going to be the one issuing the RFPs to any prospective developers wishing to develop its properties at/near the West Boulevard station. This will likely occur after Detroit Avenue is narrowed, a public realm is created at the station, and the intersection with Berea Road is realigned. A lot of public sector financing tools are going to have to brought to bear to make a high-density development here viable.

 

Another example is RTA's involvement in TOD initiatives surrounding their East 79th and East 34th/Campus stations. RTA wanted to close these stations, absent other station-area developments that would justify keeping them open. I wanted RTA to move these stations to more active/development-ready sites. RTA got its wish by getting the city and the CDCs to develop station-area development plans. And based on what we're seeing thus far (see Opportunity Corridor/East Side development threads), the planning looks very good. We'll see what actually gets built. But kudos to RTA for putting the onus on the city/CDCs to get station-area development that would justify keeping these stations open. And as we've seen with the West 65th and Euclid-120th stations, sometimes threatening to close a station wakes up neighborhood stakeholders to get off their butts and create a more transit-supportive station hinterland.

 

KJP, these are good points, but is AAO taking a position on the WFL being shut down evenings, esp weekend evenings?

 

I'm particularly talking about summer weekend evenings, as the Flats East Bank is currently exploding -- even moreso with the new Margaritaville which is packing them in and, then in the near future, when even more bar-spots coming into the FEB building later this summer.  It's an untenable situation to navigate these crowds by car and the Trolleys are not adequate -- sure they're cool for downtown residents and tourists in the hotels, but not for those coming in by train from the city or suburbs.  For one thing, even though Trolleys circuitously (via the WHD) take passengers back to Tower City, if you come downtown by rail after 6:30p, you have to walk north 2 blocks to St. Clair to get a Trolley into the Flats (and then get lucky as one zipped right past us a couple weeks ago even though we were standing at a C-Line stop and I held my hand out summoning the bus).  Or you can take the long route by riding eastbound on a C-Line all the way out to PHS and back -- doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

Bottom line, RTA built the train line and it's foolish not to use it for what it was designed for, especially now that it's needed.  And what about the fireworks debacle when the WFL was similarly idle.  What's AAO's take on all this?