- New timetables needed for Aug. 17 changes
- Aug. 9-16: Cleveland hosts Gay Games, 20,000+ visitors here
- Work moving forward on Little Italy-University Circle Station
- Aug. 2-3: Puerto Rican Festival at Muny Lot
- Aug. 3: RTA supports Warehouse District Street Festival
- Aug. 23 & 28: Ride Rapid to pre-season games at FirstEnergy Stadium
- Aug. 30-Sept. 1: National Air Show takes off from Burke Airport
- Every Wednesday, ride HealthLine to Wade Oval events
- Fridays & Saturdays: Join RTA and Tribe at Rally Alley events
- For your safety: RTA is safe, help us make it even safer
New timetables needed for Aug. 17 changes
A total of 24 RTA bus and rail routes change on Sunday, Aug. 17. Some changes are for the start of a new school year.
Riders need to pick up new timetables for: Red Line, 1, 11, 14, 15, 16, 22, 34, 41/41F, 43, 48/48A, 49, 55 / 55F, 75, 77F, 78, 79A/B, 83, 86, 90F, 94, 751, 752, 761.
Some routes deserve special mention.
Red Line (66): After 8 p.m., trains will operate every 30 minutes to allow for single tracking around track work.
55 / 55F: Adjusted running times and trip times. Edgewater trips will start and end at Lakewood Park. Mid-day frequency improved to 30 minutes, instead of 60 minutes.
90F: There is a new downtown alignment, and trip times will change.
94: Adjusted running times and trip times. Weekday trips extended to East 185th Street.
Where to obtain new timetables
- New timetables will be posted on-line.
- RTA’s trip planner is Google Transit. Data will be updated before the changes take effect.
- Stop by RTA's Main Office.
- Visit RTA's Customer Service Center at the Tower City Station.
- To order a timetable by mail, call the RTAnswerline, 216-621-9500.
Real-time information is available. New route information will be available as soon as it is effective.
Aug. 9-16: Cleveland hosts Gay Games, 20,000+ visitors here
More than 20,000 athletes and visitors will be in Northeastern Ohio from Aug. 9-16, as this region hosts the Gay Games.
Transportation needs will be met by RTA, Laketran and Akron Metro, as well as some private contractors. Events are being held in all three counties.
RTA will offer additional service on some routes, including trolleys. All service is open to the public.
Many local venues will be used, from the opening ceremony at Quicken Loans Arena to the Festival Village and closing ceremony on Mall C. Also hosting events are the Convention Center, the State Theater, Cleveland State University, Case Western Reserve University, Edgewater Park, Music Hall, the Metroparks, Voinovich Bicentennial Park, and five suburbs.
The Gay Games will generate millions of dollars for the Cleveland economy, as well as continue the ongoing emphasis on the resurgence of the city. In the last decade, Cleveland has hosted the International Childrens Games and the National Senior Games. It is slated to host the Republican National Convention in 2016.
“We encourage all our customers to be ambassadors for Cleveland,” says RTA General Manager Joe Calabrese. “If they see visitors who look confused, step in and offer to help. That’s the Midwestern hospitality we are known for. It is our goal that everyone who comes to Cleveland leaves here with a great impression of our city, and returns soon.”
“Cleveland was built on a foundation of diversity, and we want that to continue.”
Work moving forward on Little Italy-University Circle Station
Work is progressing on construction at the Little Italy-University Circle Station. RTA plans to open that stretch of rail by mid-August, so rail service can resume between the Cedar-University Station and the Louis Stokes Station at Windermere. In the interim, bus shuttles will continue to best serve RTA customers.
The longer-than-anticipated interruption of rail service is a result of a very complicated construction process. This unique project includes a bridge removal and a bridge relocation, along with total track and overhead power removal and replacement.
Work is moving forward. After additional work on the station is complete, the track will be re-set and then the overhead catenary wires reinstalled.
RTA is also preparing to open the Cedar-University Station within a few weeks. An "official" ribbon-cutting will be held in September.
Aug. 2-3: Puerto Rican Festival at Muny Lot
Thousands of Clevelanders will celebrate their rich Puerto Rican heritage with a festival Aug. 2-3 in the Municipal Parking Lot, near the South Harbor Station on the Waterfront Line.
The Waterfront Line operates with service every 15 minutes. Festival times are:
- Saturday, Aug. 2, from noon-midnight. The last Waterfront Line train leaves the event at 12:05 a.m.
- Sunday, Aug. 3, from noon-10 p.m. The last Waterfront Line train leaves the event at 10:35 p.m.
The festival includes a parade at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3. The parade starts at East 18th Street and Superior Avenue, and heads to the event site via Superior Avenue and East 9th Street.
Aug. 3: RTA supports Warehouse District Street Festival
RTA’s Main Office is part of the Historic Warehouse District – Cleveland’s first neighborhood and downtown’s oldest commercial center.
That’s why RTA is pleased to support a two-block Street Festival on West 6th Street, from noon-8 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 3. The festival features food, live music, entertainment, children’s activities, residential open houses, community information booths, and more.
Look for a green RTA trolley parked at 1240 West 6th St., and stop in to learn more about your transit system.
West 6th Street will be closed. That will affect the route of the free C-Line trolley, but it will drop customers off as close to the event as possible. It operates from 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
While you are downtown, you may want to ride the free L-Line trolley from Public Square to the Rock Hall and the Great Lakes Science Center. That trolley operates from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Aug. 23 & 28: Ride Rapid to pre-season games at FirstEnergy Stadium
The Rapid provides your best seat to both Browns pre-season games this month at FirstEnergy Stadium. The games are:
- 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23, vs the Los Angeles Rams.
- 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28, vs the Chicago Bears.
RTA will provide extra rail service on both days. RTA encourages you to buy a $5 All-Day Pass, which helps with crowd flow after the game. The All-Day Pass is good for unlimited rides until 3 a.m., so if you stop to celebrate downtown, this is the ticket for you.
Before the game, park free at an RTA Rapid Station. Ride the Rapid into Tower City, and ride the Waterfront Line to the West Third Street Station – right across the street from FirstEnergy Stadium.
After the game, service will be provided to take you home.
Aug. 30-Sept. 1: National Air Show takes off from Burke Airport
RTA’s Waterfront Line provides the most affordable transportation for those looking forward to the return of the Cleveland National Air Show to Burke Lakefront Airport.
Federal funding cuts grounded the star performers last year, but the Air Show returns on Labor Day weekend, Aug. 30-31 and Sept. 1.
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels jet demonstration team will perform daily.
Gates are open daily at 10 a.m., with flying from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
RTA offers you two transit options.
- Ride any Rapid line into the Tower City Station, board the Waterfront Line and exit at the North Coast Station on East Ninth Street. From there, walk about ½ mile, or 10 minutes, to reach the Air Show grounds. The Waterfront Line operates every 15 minutes, from 9 a.m.-10:30 p.m. OR
- On Public Square, board the free L-Line trolley in front of the Horseshoe Casino. It leaves every 15 minutes, from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Exit at the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame, and walk about ½ mile, or 10 minutes, to the Air Show grounds.
Every Wednesday, ride HealthLine to Wade Oval events
From 6-9 p.m. on Wednesdays through Aug. 27, University Circle offers the free, popular Wade Oval Wednesdays (WOW), with fun, movies and music for the whole family. Ride the HealthLine to the Adelbert Station, and walk to Wade Oval. If you’re not sure where to walk, just listen for the sounds of people having fun.
This month’s schedule:
Aug. 6, Red Light Roxy - Swing/ Big Band
Aug. 13, Cleveland Bluegrass Orchestra - Classical Blue Grass and fun classical music
Aug. 20, Wild Horses – Rock & Roll dance music
Aug. 27, Hey Mavis – Appalachian Americana
Fridays & Saturdays: Join RTA and Tribe at Rally Alley events
Join RTA and the Tribe six times this month for Rally Alley, a pre-game street festival before every Friday and Saturday game.
Aug. 1-2 vs the Texas Rangers
Aug. 15-16 vs the Baltimore Orioles
Aug. 22-23 vs the Houston Astros
Each game starts at 7:05 p.m., so each Rally Alley starts around 5 p.m., with food and drink concessions, games and live music. Just stroll down Larry Doby Way (Eagle Avenue), on the north side of Progressive Field, between Ontario Street and East Ninth Street.
RTA staff will be on hand with the community bus. Stop by, test your knowledge of Cleveland sports trivia, and win some great prizes, such as memorabilia, Tribe merchandise and more. There are fireworks displays every Friday night.
For your safety: RTA is safe, help us make it even safer
Yes, RTA is safe, and you can help us make it even safer.
Transit Police are on duty 24/7, and RTA operates more than 4,000 security cameras on buses, trains and Rapid stations. If you are anywhere on RTA property, assume that you are on camera.
You can help make RTA even safer.
Remain aware of your surroundings. Don’t get so caught up in your cell phone call that you miss something important right next to you.
Secure your electronic devices. Across the nation, thieves like to “grab and run”. Keep your devices where they will not be a target.
If you see something, say something. Call 216-566-5163. Add this number to speed dial on your cell phone. Call Transit Police 24/7 if you see something that appears to be suspicious or out of the ordinary.
Sign up for iWatch RTA -- a free app that allows you to communicate with Transit Police anonymously. The app is available on iPhone and Android. You can send texts, emails, photos and video.
Don't have a smartphone? If it’s not an emergency, call or text Transit Police at 216-575-3937.
Thanks for being RTA’s eyes and ears. Your support is appreciated.