Cleveland State Line debuts on Dec. 8
On Dec. 7, RTA’s popular 55 family of routes becomes the new Cleveland State Line. The bus rapid transit (BRT) service will serve many West Shore communities. Riders will begin to use new articulated buses, and enjoy the amenities that have been added to Clifton Boulevard in Lakewood and Cleveland.
Why Cleveland State?
CSU is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
More than 14,000 CSU students receive the RTA U-Pass each semester. Many of them commute from west of downtown Cleveland. This new transportation option will provide a fast, comfortable and convenient way to get to campus, while serving the larger transportation needs of West Shore commuters.
The Cleveland State Line will serve customers along Clifton Boulevard with 19 new stations, and will feature special CSU-branded stops in Bay Village, Westlake, Rocky River, Fairview Park, Lakewood and Cleveland. The service terminates on the CSU campus.
Clifton Boulevard changes benefit all
The Cleveland State Line will offer an upgraded ride on new, specially-designed vehicles fully branded for CSU. Stations connect commuters traveling from the downtown campus through Cleveland’s West Side along Clifton Boulevard, with branch routes connecting multiple West Shore communities.
The commute will be faster and more reliable, with specially designed, 60-foot articulated buses and increased travel speeds. Ridership capacity will double.
The Cleveland State Line incorporates many of the convenience features of RTA’s first bus rapid transit service, the HealthLine. These features include consolidated stops, a dedicated transit lane, an enhanced streetscape and a new traffic signal system.
The Clifton Boulevard stops and the downtown stops will have frequent service (every 10 minutes or better) eastbound in the morning rush hour and westbound in the afternoon rush hour.
The $20 million Clifton Boulevard project is a joint effort of RTA and the cities of Lakewood and Cleveland. Funding came from 13 sources.
These RTA bus routes change on Sunday, Dec. 7
These RTA bus routes change on Sunday, Dec. 7. Some changes increase service to alleviate overcrowding.
After Thanksgiving, riders can pick up new timetables for the HealthLine and the 3, 8, 10, 15, 16, 19, 20, 28, 30, 39, 41/41F, 55/55F, 76, 78, 79A/B, 81, 83, 90F, 94, 239.
Some routes deserve special mention
28, 30, 94 and 239: Because of an upcoming construction project, bus trips that currently start or end at Lake Shore Boulevard and East 222nd Street will start or end at Shore Center Drive and Babbitt Road.
The 55/55F becomes the Cleveland State Line.
- The 55 designation will be used only for trips to/from the Westgate Transit Center.
- Saturday service will be added. All trips will be designated 55 and serve the Westgate Transit Center.
- 55A: For trips serving Edgewater Drive and Lakewood Park. Alignment will not change, except that the bus will no longer turn into Winton Place.
- 55B: For trips serving Bay Village. "Bay Village" will be displayed on buses, but the alignment will not change.
- 55C: For trips serving Crocker Park. The alignment in Rocky River and western Lakewood will be modified. Instead of using the Marion ramps, the 55C will use Detroit, Sloan and West Clifton, thus providing a connection with the 26. Temporary realignments may occur in the Crocker Park area because of construction.
Where to obtain new timetables
- Around Nov. 23, new timetables will be posted here.
- Before Dec. 7, data at RTA’s trip planner will be updated.
After Thanksgiving:
- Stop by RTA’s Main Office, 1240 W. 6th St.
- 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.
Holidays come early for local sports fans
Cleveland sports fans have much to be thankful for this month.
- 7 Cavaliers games and 4 Lake Erie Monsters games at Quicken Loans Arena.
- 2 Browns football games at 1 p.m. at FirstEnergy Stadium, and 2 RTA tailgate parties at 10 a.m. at the South Harbor Station on the Waterfront Line.
- A rare boxing match, from 8-10 p.m. Nov. 14, on the Fountain level at Tower City.
Ride RTA to see LeBron, Cavs and Monsters
Service to Quicken Loans Arena is fast and reliable.
- Rapid – Park for free at any station, buy a $5 All-Day Pass, ride into the Tower City Station, and use the Walkway to see your seat – without ever going outside.
- HealthLine – Buy a farecard before you board. Board at any westbound station along Euclid Avenue. Enter Tower City and use the Walkway to reach your seat.
- Free Trolleys – Service operates until 11 p.m. Use trolleys to add dinner or nightlife to your evening plans.
Rapid Line serves FirstEnergy Stadium
Browns games are easy to reach. The Stadium is across the street from the Waterfront Line. Just ride any Rapid line into the Tower City Station, transfer to the Waterfront Line, and exit at the West Third Street Station.
OR, ride the HealthLine to the Tower City Station, and board the Waterfront Line there.
RTA encourages you to buy a $5 All-Day Pass. Yes, in order to see a pass, you have to buy a pass.
Boxing at Tower City
Sponsored by the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, you will need two tickets – one to ride the Rapid and one to watch the action. The Rapid drops you off just a few steps from the boxing ring. Buy tickets for the event.
Holiday lighting ceremony moves to PlayhouseSquare
Because of planned construction to re-design Public Square, Winterfest and the holiday lighting ceremony are moving to PlayhouseSquare this year.
Events will take place throughout the day on Saturday, Nov. 29, with the lighting ceremony, concert and fireworks from 5-6:30 p.m. in the area near the large outdoor chandelier at Star Plaza, 1390 Euclid Ave. at East 14th Street.
Winterfest is produced by the Downtown Cleveland Alliance and sponsored by Huntington Bank.
Rapid + trolley = Holiday fun
You can ride RTA to your holiday weekend destination.
Take the family, park free at any Rapid Station, and ride the Rapid into the Tower City Station. There, you can listen to Bruce the Talking Spruce, ride the Holiday Express train, and see a show with the Toy Soldier.
When you are through, walk outside to the stop in front of the Horseshoe Casino, board a C-Line trolley or an L-Line trolley, and head out for even more fun. All trolley rides are free with a smile.
RTA will provide extra rail service that day. The celebration may cause some RTA bus, trolley and HealthLine service to be re-routed. Watch rideRTA.com for details.
So much to see and do
- Shop at Tower City, PlayhouseSquare and many stores downtown.
- Sample gourmet items on food trucks.
- From 1-4:30, enjoy free horse-drawn carriage rides, leaving from the Cleveland Public Library.
- After the fireworks, stop in to Tri-C Hospitality Management Center, take a photo with Santa. You can also look for Santa at the Hard Rock Café from 11 a.m-1 p.m., and at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument from noon-6 p.m.
- The Cleveland Public Library offers a variety of family activities from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.
- Check out events on East Fourth Street and the 5th Street Arcades, the Festival of Trees at the Allen Theater and nostalgic window displays at the former Higee’s store, now the Horseshoe Casino.
RTA holiday service set
Thursday, Nov. 27: RTA operates Sunday/holiday service. All RTA offices are closed.
Friday, Nov. 28: RTA operates normal weekday service, including bus service to many great retail outlets. Shop until you drop.
Saturday, Nov. 29: RTA operates a Saturday schedule, with extra rail service.
Board member, key RTA staffers gain national recognition
Several key RTA Board and staff members have gained national recognition.
“It’s great to see that RTA employees are being saluted on the national stage,” said RTA CEO and General Manager Joe Calabrese. “We know we have many outstanding people here, and now, others know it too.”
Valarie J. McCall: An RTA Board member since 2006, she was elected Vice Chair of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). The position often leads to being elected Chair the following year. McCall is Chief of Government and International Affairs for Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson.
Joe Calabrese: RTA’s CEO and General Manager since 2000, he was named one of the most influential people of the decade (2004-2014) for public transit in the September-October issue of Metro Magazine. The magazine cited his accomplishments in many areas, including the Downtown trolleys and the HealthLine, which is regarded as the top BRT system in North America.
Ron Tober: RTA’s General Manager from 1988-1999, Tober was inducted into APTA’s Public Transportation Hall of Fame. He worked in transit for 45 years, and led the effort to build the Waterfront Line here in the 1990s.
Mass Transit Magazine published its 6th annual “40 under 40” list, saluting “outstanding young transit professionals – the best and the brightest” of 2014. Two RTA employees were honored in the September-October issue.
Michael Lively, Manager of Operations Analysis, Research and Systems. In his six years at RTA, he has led a number of special project teams, ranging from introducing alternate fuels to improving software efficiency.
Jarrod Hampshire, Equipment Manager, Triskett Garage. A former bus operator at Ohio State University, he has been at RTA since 2011. He oversees 73 employees, and helped to improve RTA’s parts supply chain, saving an estimated $109,000 annually.