^This is, at least, somewhat promising.  Let's hope this "well connected" individual can get some of his  allies to think along the lines you lay out.

I agree with McLovin's general point: there is so much untapped potential in East Cleveland by dint of having 2 heavy-rail, Red Line stations there.  And so many residents of the city don't have cars and ride the rails, it's amazing city officials all but ignore the Rapid.  Both these stations appear to be in rather good condition -- I'm less sure about the exact state of Superior, but I know Stokes-Windermere is, as of last summer, in tip-top condition.  In the cases of both stations, those little strip shopping plazas should be demolished and replaced with high-density mixed use housing. 

 

But it's going to take leadership, which has in recent decades been a rare commodity.  I will say that Gary Norton is probably the brightest light, mayor-wise, EC has had in decades and, at the very least, has urban planning experience and something of a vision.  The problem is whether EC's backward-looking city council can get out of the way... Norton btw expressed support for the Red Line extension to Euclid as well as having been a prime mover behind the Circle East town homes on Euclid... He's at least got a clue.

I look at the Superior station as the red headed step child to Windermere. That station is in tip-top condition while the station right down the street is experiencing some neglect. It is still in decent shape but it is dark, and smells like urine on occasions. The platform area is still in good shape though, some windows could be replaced.

... experiencing some neglect. It is still in decent shape but it is dark, and smells like urine on occasions. The platform area is still in good shape though, some windows could be replaced...

 

The same could be said of W 25th, W 65th, West Blvd, Triskett, West Park...

... experiencing some neglect. It is still in decent shape but it is dark, and smells like urine on occasions. The platform area is still in good shape though, some windows could be replaced...

 

The same could be said of W 25th, W 65th, West Blvd, Triskett, West Park...

I wouldn't be surprised, maybe I went too far with the red headed step child thing but either way it could use some work. I understand that RTA is slowly fixing their stations and Superior will have its turn, it may be a while because it isn't in the worst shape so it may not be the highest priority.

Healthline was a mess today. Spun our wheels all the way through Midtown while the regular traffic lanes were mostly clear.

... experiencing some neglect. It is still in decent shape but it is dark, and smells like urine on occasions. The platform area is still in good shape though, some windows could be replaced...

 

The same could be said of W 25th, W 65th, West Blvd, Triskett, West Park...

I wouldn't be surprised, maybe I went too far with the red headed step child thing but either way it could use some work. I understand that RTA is slowly fixing their stations and Superior will have its turn, it may be a while because it isn't in the worst shape so it may not be the highest priority.

 

After Brookpark, the only Red Line stations left to be rebuilt to be ADA compliant are E 79 and E 34th. The problem is that RTA rebuilds the stations and they are nice for a time, but then get neglected in the following years and their condition deteriorates.

I could be wrong, but I seem to recall around the time Superior station was rebuilt that there was some concern, mainly from women, that the platform felt closed in and unsafe, and that this may be why the windows over the street were removed.  I also seem to recall an earlier post noting that RTA does not have the money and/or financial incentive to vigorously maintain its stations.  Hence new stations tend to deteriorate quickly with use and/or weather conditions, such as tracked-in salt or similar chemicals.  The urine smells, which I've experienced so often on the W. 25 elevator I no longer use it even if I'm carrying heavy items, is inexcusable.  RTA needs to monitor this (and similarly violated locations) better and offenders need to be stiffly prosecuted if caught.  It's disgusting.

Looks like the light rail was struggling a bit this morning

 

How about providing bathrooms for those who have to pee?

How about providing bathrooms for those who have to pee?

 

Public restrooms at transit stations are a rarity across the country, with a few exceptions.

If we want transit to take that next step in America, bathrooms at stations are going to be a necessity.  Aging populations, the ones who vote a lot, do not consider bathrooms to be an optional extravagance.  And they can't stand it when elevators become de facto toilets.  First time they experience that you've probably lost them for good.   

How about providing bathrooms for those who have to pee?

 

Public restrooms at transit stations are a rarity across the country, with a few exceptions.

 

You're right, you don't see them often in rail stations.  New York used to be one of the few, ironically, that had some subway restrooms from what I understand, but I think there became a crime issue.  Then of course there's the maintenance aspect.  If RTA can't even maintain its stations as they are currently, I don't even want to think about what their restrooms would look like.... or smell like.

There are actually self-cleaning bathrooms for public spaces like transit stations, public parks, etc.

 

http://www.citylab.com/commute/2015/02/a-hands-free-self-cleaning-bathroom-for-transit-stations/385549/

Well, as we have seen with Cincinnati's proposed modular restrooms, they are overpriced for what you can get with a simpler facility and a minimum wage cleaning person.

There would be a revolt, but I think the Europeans and libertarians have the right idea on this one. Have a bathroom, but let a private operator staff it, maintain it, and charge people something to use it.

If we want transit to take that next step in America, bathrooms at stations are going to be a necessity.  Aging populations, the ones who vote a lot, do not consider bathrooms to be an optional extravagance.  And they can't stand it when elevators become de facto toilets.  First time they experience that you've probably lost them for good.   

 

Philly's SEPTA operates more public restrooms than most transit agencies.  Not only do it's 3 Center City Regional Rail stations have them (in the case of Jefferson and 30th Street, 2 sets of them at that), many of the old RR station buildings that dot most of its 13 rail routes have them available, ... when they are open (usually to 11:30a/12N).  The Market-Frankfort el has them in its 2 terminals as well.

 

RTA has, too, has public restrooms only at TC and the ends of the Red Line, the latter of which are not on RTA property, like the ones at the airport; I also found out that little coffee shop/bakery in Stokes-Windermere allows the public to use its restrooms ... when it's open, which apparently is late in the night, according to a friend I picked up from Windermere last summer...

 

Public restrooms are as much as a downtown/entertainment district issue as they are a transit one.  It's an even bigger problem in denser, more crowded cities like Philly, Chicago and NYC.  I know Philly experimented with a contractor who made the fancy, street-corner outhouse-type structures where the door automatically opens in 5 or 10 minutes (to thwart drug users and the homeless).  These type of public facilities are common in Paris and other Euro cities.  I thought they were a great idea for Philly, but apparently after the pilot program ended, Philly officials gave up on the idea.  Too much of a headache, I guess.

 

Maintenance is one issue, but homelessness may be the biggest.  Many people, including yours truly, use the restrooms in the casino from time to time, because they are much more convenient and on my routes out of, or in to, Tower City to/from the Rapid, unlike the Tower City restrooms, which are not only out of the way, but sometimes are, seemingly, unsafe (in contrast to Horseshoe's bathrooms which are always safe: crowded and/or staffed).  But the homeless often occupy public restrooms, which is why many hotels, like the Renaissance, now lock their restrooms and make you get a guest key at the desk which they only give out to guests or bar/restaurant patrons... I was in a Horseshoe Casino restroom on the 2nd floor back in November when casino security had to come and force a man to come out of one of the stalls who, apparently, had been in there for hours. 

 

Without restroom facilities, people guys especially (but sometimes women) go behind buildings downtown.  And as for maintenance, well consider how nasty some Men's rooms are at some of the downtown bars, where I've seen guys, tired of waiting, just go in the sink.  My assumption is that the women are somewhat less crude, but won't bet my paycheck on it.  Cleveland, just like RTA, just like Philly, NYC, MTA, SEPTA, etc, generally just say F- it, and do nothing.

My assumption is that the women are somewhat less crude, but won't bet my paycheck on it. 

 

You've never worked in a bar, I take it.  :0

My assumption is that the women are somewhat less crude, but won't bet my paycheck on it. 

 

You've never worked in a bar, I take it.  :0

 

I'll second this.  Most ladies rooms at any establishment are WAY more gross than the mens room....

My assumption is that the women are somewhat less crude, but won't bet my paycheck on it. 

 

You've never worked in a bar, I take it.  :0

 

I'll second this.  Most ladies rooms at any establishment are WAY more gross than the mens room....

 

Really!?  .... Wow.  Guess I'll put my barkeep aspirations on hold. 

I have to say that overall I've been impressed. My commute is now the 55ABC to Public Square with a transfer to either the Red Line to Cedar/University or Healthline to Case. I've had all but good experiences, although let's face it - there are always nagging things that will persist. I understand that the RTA has been chronically underfunded for so long that some technology moves, like RFID cards, are a ways off. Or even restrooms.

 

What's with the disused canopies along the Red Line west of Terminal Tower? Was there another line that paralleled the Red?

I don't believe there was ever another local rapid transit line that used that corridor, but it was probably used by the major interstate rail lines back when Terminal Tower was Union Terminal. The Red Line Greenway project wants to turn that into Cleveland's version of the High Line:

 

http://www.cleveland.com/architecture/index.ssf/2015/05/red_line_greenway_advocates_pl.html

 

https://www.facebook.com/RedLineGreenway

 

http://freshwatercleveland.com/features/Red_Line_Greenway_051915.aspx

I have to say that overall I've been impressed. My commute is now the 55ABC to Public Square with a transfer to either the Red Line to Cedar/University or Healthline to Case. I've had all but good experiences, although let's face it - there are always nagging things that will persist. I understand that the RTA has been chronically underfunded for so long that some technology moves, like RFID cards, are a ways off. Or even restrooms.

 

What's with the disused canopies along the Red Line west of Terminal Tower? Was there another line that paralleled the Red?

 

Here's a good thread with the history of the Cleveland Union Terminal with some pictures of the old right of way: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,11674.0.html. MU2010 is correct that it was used by the intercity passenger trains coming in and out of the Union Terminal in Cleveland. The Rapid was built next to those tracks, but today, it is obviously only the Red Line that survives. I'm excited to see how the Red Line Greenway eventually incorporates those historical pieces into the new park.

And specifically, the inter-city trains switched from steam to electric locomotives near the eastern and western boarders of the city, so the the approaches to the Terminal were electrified- that's why the catenary supports were built.

I use the restrooms in Tower City and have never found them unsafe. I wonder what the writer based this on.

I've had hits and misses at Tower City. While I find them clean about 50% of the time, other times its more of a crapshoot. I've found needles and just disgusting toilets and urinals more than a few times, and overflowing toilets (that the staff didn't care that much about a few years ago).

 

On a similar note, I noticed that there was a toilet at Cedar/University. Is this something at the new stations?

Has anyone noticed NextConnect being way off lately? I've only really used on the HealthLine recently, but have not seen it be accurate at least once in the last couple weeks. The stop survey has already been completed for the HealthLine, so I thought it should be showing accurate real time data. And for some reason the HL has also been absent from the Transit App?

While I find them clean about 50% of the time, other times its more of a crapshoot.

 

Ummmm........???

Just wanted to share some Cleveland / Transit musings.

 

This is bumping an old thread, but I would really like to have a SmarTrip (i.e. DC) style fare payment method. Have a piece of plastic I keep in my wallet, auto-refill with credit card, so getting to a station means I can walk through, as opposed to fiddle with machines that require one-too-many button presses for every button you have to press, and having to re-attempt inserting dollars... I guess since the Red Line route I was taking had no turnstiles, I could have just ignored the idea of paying the fare... The fare machine is just an annoying pain point that eats 1+ minute per person in my group.

 

Also, we took a family outing, to museums in University Circle, the Little Italy station is in a great location. However, it would be nice if there was a bathroom there. Seeing a bathroom sign, when you have to go, then seeing employee's only.. ugh.. Does anyone know if there we be repairs to the freight tracks next the Little Italy station? It wasn't raining at the moment, but it was dark, creepy, wet, dungenous, and muddy under the freight tracks. I saw a guy in a nice suit / nice shoes, pushing a stroller, walking through that muck, he had the right expression, that area is too gross. I don't know who would be the appropriate complaint department for that though? NSC/CSX/RTA/University Circle/UrbanOhio... But, there being TOD-ish things in close proximity to RTA station was great. Little Italy to the east, and plenty of lunch places in the University Circle gateway (Chipotle, Jimmy Johns, Starbucks, Corner Alley bowling, ...) is nice. The walk to University Circle museums was a quick walk, so I would advise doing this.

 

I recently finished reading Street Smart by "gridlock" Sam Schwartz. Basically an story about a guy who's job was NYC's transport guru, building highways, and how he's realized that the best neighborhood is a complete-street, multimodal, walkable grid, dense urban neighborhood. As opposed to upgrading highways, bypasses, the lessons learned of Interstate Highway System, that was a great concept for connecting cities (i.e. NYC -> Pittsburgh -> Cleveland), but the original design wasn't to have the highways actually enter urban areas, and divide neighborhoods. He also mentions that Infrastructure Report Card might indicate billions of dollars of "functionally obsolete" bridges and highways, is a misnomer. The word means they can't handle peak rush hour traffic with causing congestion. But congestion means you have a vibrant city that has so many people clamoring to get there. Instead of letting even-more-cars get downtown faster, improving multimodality will alleviate traffic. And it touches on concept of future-autonomous-uber-google (i.e. Goober) world where people don't own cars, but there are many more Vehicles-In-Motion, and potential gridlock of that, and that single passenger taxi's cars can't handle peak traffic either... Also, how zoning for new building to have tons of parking is not a law of nature anymore... i.e. Zurich Switzerland has a maximum-cars-per-sqft law. Your new office park can have a maximum amount of parking. Also, Brooklyn basketball arena only has around 500 parking spaces for 15k fans, but, its on top of a dozen train lines, so it works, and no event there has ever completely filled the parking lot. Transit is so effective, for almost all people, that its the easier choice than driving.

 

Lastly, probably even-more-off-topic, but I saw a VibrantNEO map that showed a potential extension of rail connecting near the shore out to Lorain, so that sounds good. Hopefully people have some powerball winnings that are looking for something to contribute to.

 

...Also, we took a family outing, to museums in University Circle, the Little Italy station is in a great location. However, it would be nice if there was a bathroom there. Seeing a bathroom sign, when you have to go, then seeing employee's only.. ugh.. Does anyone know if there we be repairs to the freight tracks next the Little Italy station? It wasn't raining at the moment, but it was dark, creepy, wet, dungenous, and muddy under the freight tracks. I saw a guy in a nice suit / nice shoes, pushing a stroller, walking through that muck, he had the right expression, that area is too gross. I don't know who would be the appropriate complaint department for that though? NSC/CSX/RTA/University Circle/UrbanOhio... But, there being TOD-ish things in close proximity to RTA station was great. Little Italy to the east, and plenty of lunch places in the University Circle gateway (Chipotle, Jimmy Johns, Starbucks, Corner Alley bowling, ...) is nice. The walk to University Circle museums was a quick walk, so I would advise doing this...

 

 

To address this one point, yes, RTA does have plans to fix up the area under the freight tracks. From what I heard, there were issues with working with CSX (big surprise) on getting it done. I was told a few months ago by someone from RTA that the goal was to do it this coming spring. Not sure if anything has changed since then.

^^Safe to say, you're preaching to the choir with those observations. Hopefully smart cards are coming to RTA one of these years.

 

As of last year, it was reported that money was already lined up for the underpass improvements near the Mayfield station ($1M, I think), so hopefully we'll see some changes soon.

 

More generally, the pedestrian routes from both UC-areas rapid stations have been awful for a quite a while now. Not impressed with UCI in this regard.

http://www.cleveland.com/naymik/index.ssf/2016/01/rta_tests_audio_bus_ads_that_c.html#incart_gallery

 

RTA now running audio ads on their buses? Out of DC Metro, NYC Subway, London Underground, and a few others I have used, I can't think of another mass transit system that does this, but maybe I'm wrong.

 

Also this from Mark Naymik: "Don't expect to hear advertisements for luxury automobiles. If riders could afford them, they likely would not be on the bus."

 

I don't understand the mass transit is for the lower classes sentiment in Cleveland...

Yes, they play an ad on the Cleveland State Line BRT-lite as the vehicle enters/exits the West Shoreway. I don't know if they are GPS triggered or if the driver can play them.

This is unfortunate.  If our legislature gave a damn about public transit, this wouldn't be happening

 

 

It's pretty bad. I've heard it on the Cleveland State Line, Healthline and Red Line, so I'm assuming its systemwide. It seems to be triggered by GPS as they only go on near downtown. They don't interrupt the announcer but there is also no transition, so it's pretty confusing, and it's fairly loud. The "announcement" of the ads is obtuse, but if it generates a few more dollars for say, restrooms (or clean restrooms) and more security, I'm game.

 

And speaking of the announcements, I noticed the Red Line has the "next stop" and attractions announcer back. It seemed to have disappeared for a while and is done well before the next stop. The Cleveland State Line announcements come as you have practically passed the stop.

...And speaking of the announcements, I noticed the Red Line has the "next stop" and attractions announcer back. It seemed to have disappeared for a while and is done well before the next stop. The Cleveland State Line announcements come as you have practically passed the stop.

 

There's no consistency as to when the announcements are played on the Red Line. Sometimes they're there, sometimes they're not. And when they do get played, it's only for a few stations on the route. And then the announcements get all cluttered with the listing of nearby "attractions."

 

RTA should find a person with a pleasant and distinctive voice to record simple station stop announcements for all the rapid and brt lines. That "voice" can then become part of the identity of RTA's rapid transit system.

http://www.cleveland.com/naymik/index.ssf/2016/01/rta_tests_audio_bus_ads_that_c.html#incart_gallery

 

RTA now running audio ads on their buses? Out of DC Metro, NYC Subway, London Underground, and a few others I have used, I can't think of another mass transit system that does this, but maybe I'm wrong.

 

Also this from Mark Naymik: "Don't expect to hear advertisements for luxury automobiles. If riders could afford them, they likely would not be on the bus."

 

I don't understand the mass transit is for the lower classes sentiment in Cleveland...

It's self inflicted.  Early in the history of the merged system, there was an militant refusal to accommodate the preferences of more affluent potential riders, or "fat cats" as Mr. Krumholtz infamously said.  Virtually all routes went downtown, flyers that bypassed inner city neighborhoods were somewhat limited, and the trains (which such riders seem to prefer over buses) were loaded up with often rowdy high school kids.

 

It's not a matter of policy anymore, but such mindsets persevere in bureaucracies unless they actively weeded out.

 

We just need Rod Roddy to do the voiceovers (if he was still alive, RIP)...

LAND studio launches international search for artists on @GCRTA #rail project @FreshWaterCLE https://t.co/NMJjnf0Qgh https://t.co/p7JV2HQHT6

Yes, they play an ad on the Cleveland State Line BRT-lite as the vehicle enters/exits the West Shoreway. I don't know if they are GPS triggered or if the driver can play them.

I've heard them on the blue line as well, leaving tower city.  It was an 'introduction' of sorts to the ad agency, Commuterads I think.  It was ear-piercingly loud, and I think was supposed to be portraying a guy standing by a passing subway.  He's overly cheery, saying "Hey we're CommuterAds and we're going to be joining you on your commute to let you know about X,Y, and Z.  Then some cheesy line like 'Save a seat for me!'"  It was cringe-worthy and disturbing on multiple levels.

It was "SAVE A SEAT FOR MEEEEEEeeeee" as he flails around and falls off of the subway platform, being crushed to death by the approaching train.

There was a broken rail at Tower City this morning on the westbound Green/Blue/Waterfront Line through track (not sure of the number). A repair crew was working on it as of 10:00 AM.

There was a broken rail at Tower City this morning on the westbound Green/Blue/Waterfront Line through track (not sure of the number). A repair crew was working on it as of 10:00 AM.

 

I was wondering what caused the Red Line single tracking and WFL shutdown. Looks like the WFL is back up and running now though. I fear we may be seeing more rail issues in the near future at Tower City, and this morning was just a small taste of the headache that it will create.

In true GCRTA spirit of not citing the root cause of service disruptions, GCRTA was publicly calling this "emergency single-tracking." Really guys?? Like the Jan. 8th derailment at Shaker Square, why is GCRTA afraid of describing the cause of a service disruption? Are they afraid of shaking the confidence of riders? Doesn't truth-avoidance shake rider confidence at least as much? After all, a rider's imagination and "fear of the unknown" is often scarier than the truth.

RTA unveils the next generation of downtown trolley buses

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2016/01/rta_unveils_the_next_generatio.html

In true GCRTA spirit of not citing the root cause of service disruptions, GCRTA was publicly calling this "emergency single-tracking." Really guys?? Like the Jan. 8th derailment at Shaker Square, why is GCRTA afraid of describing the cause of a service disruption? Are they afraid of shaking the confidence of riders? Doesn't truth-avoidance shake rider confidence at least as much? After all, a rider's imagination and "fear of the unknown" is often scarier than the truth.

 

It's Cuyahoga County, and it's government so it's involved with politics.  Truth avoidance falls somewhere between an expectation and a way of life.

Follow-up on the new trolleys today: http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2016/01/new_trolleys_a_local_windfall.html#incart_river_home

 

"But Ohio City has expressed interest in trolley service, and so has University Circle," Calabrese said. That potential expansion would be a new role for the 30-footers.

 

Sign me up for a couple trolleys doing a Market District --> Hingetown --> Gordon Square loop!

Rail system was shut down this afternoon...

 

On Jan 8, a derailment shut down the rapid. @GCRTA called it "a power interruption". Today, a bomb scare. RTA said "technical difficulties".

 

Dangerous culture of deception being institutionalized at GCRTA.

The slow zone on the Red Line westbound track between W 25 and W 65 is brutal. Did RTA ever make an announcement about that going into effect? I can't remember, have slow zones previously been listed on "service alerts" on the front page of the website? I think they should. (Not to mention that operators should be making announcements when entering the slow zone informing the riders why the train is just barely crawling along)

It was so long ago when that started, I don't remember.

Is the slow zone related to the tracks? Are we going to have to weather a slow zone in this area until the tracks can be replaced? In 2019 or however many years?