From Wednesday, August 11, 2010 through Wednesday, August 18, 2010, the West 25th Rapid Station will be closed to allow for replacement of the stairway. While the Red Line will continue to travel through this location, passengers will not be able to enter or exit through this station during the stairway construction project.

Customers who need to access this area of Ohio City have several other RTA alternatives available:

• Traveling to the area of West 25th and Lorain, transfers can be made from the Red Line at Public Square/Tower City Station to the following bus routes:
  #20, #22 and #35 (board on Superior Avenue at West Roadway)
  #51, #79A/B, and #81 (board on Ontario at Superior)
• Traveling from the area of West 25th and Lorain, ride any of the following bus routes to Public Square and board the Red Line at Tower City Station:
  #20, #22, #35, #79A/B (board on Lorain and W 25)
  #51 (board on Gehring and Lorain)
  #81 (board on Abbey)

Regular rail service to West 25th Station is expected to resume at the start of service on Thursday, August 19, 2010.

(The above info is from the RTA website)

At the same time, The Puritas Rapid Station is getting an extreme makeover, like many other stations like Triskett or West 25th. I’m ecstatic about the new station, my neighborhood needs it. There is proposed pubic art, walkways, and the potential to improve the value of while enhancing the neighborhood. You can read about the plans here on RTA’s website.

RTA says reduced monies from sales taxes due to the economy. Their percentage of the pie may have stayed the same, but the amount of money is not the same.  Believe me, as a working member of society, I understand that.

I do have to wonder if we (meaning residents, government, business) support public transportation?  Our neighborhood groups support it. Politicians are positive about it in their sound bites. If service is going to get cut, what good will the pretty new stations be to people?  Ridership won’t increase with no weekend service, will it?  On the same day that Eco Village Cottages had their ribbon cutting (yeay! – I saw one at a brokers open and you would be really pleased, I know I was, with the exterior design that blends in and enhances the neighborhood) we also got possible RTA route cuts. One win one loss? Do you think RTA is giving this serious consideration?

Peace out – oh, and Happy Earth Day.  3C

Tonight’s run was supposed to be its last.

But the riders, after a months-long campaign, including e-mails, petitions, saved their route after meeting Thursday night with Joe Calabrese, general manager of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority.

“It is a Horatio Alger story — the little man pleaded the case and won,” said Dianne Snyder of Berea. “It was a fight for what we needed and were entitled to.”

Here is the PD update on the story. Apparently one of the key issues that swayed Calabrese was the fact that Olmsted Falls residents were going to be seriously under served if the route was cut. Who says grass roots efforts don’t work!  Thankfully enough people who live in that area DID know what time the meeting started.      Peace Out – 3C

A short excerpt on where some of the money (Half?) could come from:

“….At least half of up to $10 million in state-controlled federal money could be available to the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority within a year.

That money comes from the CMAQ program (Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality) that helps communities cut pollution and ease traffic congestion….”

Mayor Jackson spoke a lot yesterday about public transportation being vital to the survival and revitalization of Cleveland. Governor Strickland is supposedly behind public transportation and passenger rail. So let’s hope Ohio won’t continue to be at the bottom of the list of states funding (meaning moving forward on!) public transportation. So we have a reprieve for now.

I say let’s move it forward. You can read Tim Ferris’ report about his half hour of entertainment and hours of getting to and from that venue because of our wacky RTA system.

I know I took almost two hrs to get from my house to a listing of mine not more than three miles away. I needed three buses. And none of the times were coordinated. Let’s just say it makes it impossible for me to do impromptu visiting of my listings.

Enough grousing, it seems grassroots efforts worked here.          Peace Out – 3C

What about using that same money to increase methods of public transportation available to commuters?

Here is an article from BNET reprinting a story by Carolyn Hirschman on commuter relief plans in effect in different places. When I say ‘places,’ sometimes that is government but sometimes it’s private industry’s creativity in offering solutions. Like van pools. Excerpt:

“….Maryland, for instance, gives employers a 50 percent tax credit, limited to $50 per employee per month, for the costs of plans that meet Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules. The Maryland tax break also applies to guaranteed-ride-home programs, which ensure that employees using the vans have a ride home in emergencies or if they work late, and parking cash out, in which employers offer employees cash to give up their employer-subsidized parking spots….”

It’s mentioned in the above article (and well explained) how the IRS tax relief kicks in for companies that offer viable help/alternatives for transportation. This part seems like a great idea to me.

And here is a CBS news story on another Legislator’s efforts to get tax relief for bike commuters.

What say you?  Peace Out – 3C

RTA is planning their own audit and you can read about it here in a blog post  by Sarah Hollander of the PD.

Sometimes the bus driver has his/her palm over the swiping machine, nodding at me to just get on. Sometimes there is someone ahead of me having difficulty getting a dollar bill accepted and the bus driver motions me (and anyone else in line) to get on.

Friday there was a line of people getting on at 117th and as I sat in my seat I watched the driver waive three or four people by – he didn’t start ‘the count’ again until that pesky dollar a rider was using got accepted.

Yesterday I took the #26 bus from Detroit and 54th to the West Blvd. rapid station. I swiped my card. Since it was Sunday, you swipe your pass or pay your money on the rapid not at the turn-styles. When I got on the rapid I did swipe but I noticed (and I was only on the rapid for two stops) that two other people who got on with me did not and at the W. 117th stop four more riders got on and only one swiped. I was ready for this post even before the PD article because I was wondering about the numbers too, after RTA announced potential cuts last week.

Granted, my daily treks are small potatoes compared to the grand totals, but it all still got me wondering. On the bus, in most cases, when we are told or ‘motioned to’ not swipe and just get on and sit down, it seems to be because the driver is trying to keep the flow going; they see that you have a pass in your hand, in fact sometimes they look at the dates on the pass, presumably to satisfy themselves that it’s a valid pass.

Since numbers crunchers are going to decide if routes get cut, it may be better for the drivers to not make exceptions to the rule?

Peace Out – 3C

How do we make a system that is sustainable? The first two comments (OK the only comments when I read the PD blog post) were truly negative, how much of a waste RTA is, how it should just be shut down. Obviously relying on auto transportation is not the answer.  So what is?

RTA claims, as usual, there will be public hearings before any cuts are written in stone. Oh and by the way, it seems to me that RTA is saying they couldn’t handle more than a 10% increase in ridership because of money woes.  What’s wrong with this picture?

What do we need to do to the system (and I’m asking a real question, not a rhetorical one!) to make it viable? Oh, and the rates might go up too.

I say again, bah humbug! Peace Out – 3C

Originally I was going to take RTA to the Triskett stop and walk home. Then I said (to myself, and not out loud, at least I don’t think so!), why not just pick up my usual #22 bus at Public Square? It was definitely a good idea -the bus arrived as I did. Every bus ride offers one snippet that makes me smile. The other day it was the philosopher who spoke to every departing passenger: “you can’t just live life, you have to feel it.” Today I sat behind a gentleman who rode quietly until about W. 75th street; when he rose to leave the bus, well, his pants basically wanted to stay on the bus.  I wanted to take a photo of his behind so badly but I behaved myself!

Things like that keep my eyes glued to the action. People tell me they like to ride the bus or transit because they can read or answer emails. Maybe because I’ve only been doing this for three weeks, but I can’t take my eyes off the people or the scenery outside the bus. When we drive, we don’t have the chance to take in all the details. I find myself with questions:

Why are so many middle eastern restaurants in my neighborhood unable to stay open?

As I pass a furniture store in Ohio City on Lorain there is a sign that says ‘vouchers accepted.’  Vouchers for what and where do they come from?

When is the Variety Theatre going to open? I know it’s in the works, but that strip of Lorain could use some vitality.

On another building in Detroit Shoreway on Lorain a sign exclaims ‘out of state vehicle inspection station.’  Who knew?

 I also know I am not the only Realtor® being creative with transportation. There is an agent in my office who took a buyer client on a bike tour of homes. They are both biking aficionados so why not?  I know agents who are thinking about buying a scooter or motorcycle.

In a way it’s kind of an exciting time. Now I know I need a car, there is no question. It’s kind of crazy to take two hours via bus to put a lockbox on a client’s home temporarily and then have to spend the same amount of time retrieving it. Some places are still not really on a good public transportation line.  But this experience is  showing me  I don’t need a car every day.  I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks after all! Peace Out-3C

I have lots of observations on this which I will share over time but for now, I’ll stick to the increased ridership/is the bus too crowded issues from today’s PD article by Sarah Hollander. The article focuses on the Strongsville to Downtown Cleveland routes. Granted, that is a longer route than I have, although there are times when the ride can take fifty minutes. Like last evening- we made stops all along the route because even though it was seven o’clock in the evening, there were a lot of riders.

If the stats from the PD article are correct, there is a recent surge in ridership but not a 12 month trend. In fact, according to Hollander, 2007 saw a drop in ridership for the routes she highlighted. So if more routes or less time between routes is your wish as a commuter, I think you will still have to convince more of your neighborhood peers to take the bus.

I read (on the RTA site? I can’t remember) that they were purchasing longer buses for many routes to handle ridership. Last night was the first time I was on a bus with more seats. The PD article talks about standing room only from Strongsville. That happens on my route too but I never mind it. It takes me back to my commuting days in DC on the Metro when we really were packed in like sardines. 

How long can I continue to not have a car as a Realtor®? I am hoping to do both; drive when the alternative is not feasible and take the bus on days when I’m not previously scheduled for a house showing. The truth is, it has worked out much more efficiently than I ever imagined. On the other hand, I am taking photos at a house today and my manager Chris is going to take me there. I had an open house last Sunday; my listing partner Mark drove me, I put up the signs and did the open house.  Then I took the signs down and stored them in my client’s garage (they are still there!) and walked to the rapid transit stop. So it’s possible, but only with help.

Only time will tell if the RTA ridership for 2008 will buck the previous years trend and maybe find an increase in ridership.  Any of you newly minted RTA commuters? Inquiring minds want to know.  Peace Out – 3C