The Brookpark Station, 18010 Brookpark Road, opened on April 20, 1969, as part of a four-mile extension of the heavy rail Red Line to Cleveland - Hopkins International Airport. With 1,000 parking places, more customers board there than at any other station except Tower City.

The extension to Hopkins -- the first direct rail connection between a center city and an airport in the Western Hemisphere – actually opened on Nov. 15, 1968, with national TV coverage. Work on the Brookpark Station had not been completed, so the Cleveland Transit System (CTS) opened it about six months later.

In 2003, RTA built an interim station at the site, making Brookpark ADA-accessible. The $946,000 interim station was built on the west side of the existing station by the Cold Harbor Building Co. of Chardon. One-third of the work was federally funded. The upgrade project included a new platform, two ramps, a signal crossing, an elevator, an entry building with a heated waiting area, and an enclosed walkway from the parking area to the entry building.

On March 1, 2005, the RTA Board of Trustees approved a letter of intent to build a permanent Brookpark station. RTA sought a developer to build a new station on the 15.5-acre site, along with a bus transfer center and a four-story parking garage for 1,000 cars.

In addition to the station developments, the remaining area was to be leased out for hotels, restaurants, and other commercial venues. The site straddles the city line, and the project received support from city officials in both Brook Park and Cleveland. Because of the poor economy, this development has not yet been realized.

RTA continues to market this site to the development community. Its proximity to the Airport, Brookpark Road, I-71 and I-480 provide it with an excellent location. Its 12 acres of undeveloped land also makes it an attractive site. RTA would like to incorporate the principles of transit-oriented development (TOD) to create a destination for transit riders, provide RTA customers with added conveniences, and expand the economy with jobs and investment.

The reconstruction of this important station is in the RTA Capital Plan. The design of a new station is slated to be funded in 2010.