RTA secures final installment of funding from FTA

CLEVELAND � The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) received its final installment of funding for the Euclid Corridor Transportation Project from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today. U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich made the $25 million announcement. Voinovich helped secure $24,974,513 through the appropriations process for the project.

�Today�s announcement gets us one step closer to our goal as we work to revitalize the Euclid Avenue area,� says RTA CEO & General Manager Joe Calabrese. �Once complete, the Euclid Corridor Transportation Project will help position Cleveland as a world-class city again.��

�I have been working on the Euclid Corridor Project since the mid-70s when I was County Auditor and Commissioner, and it has been my top transportation priority since I came to the Senate,� says Senator Voinovich. �Downtown Cleveland is seeing a revival that is creating jobs and bringing people back to the city�s center. The Euclid Corridor Project will help keep this momentum moving.�

The Euclid Corridor Project will revitalize Euclid Avenue from storefront-to-storefront for 7.07 miles. The new streetscape will be totally ADA accessible and pedestrian-friendly with wider sidewalks, dedicated transit lane in each direction, a median strip where 36 bus stations will be located. About 2.31 miles of adjoining streets will also be improved, for a tot al project area of 9.38 miles.

A hybrid-electric, articulated 60-foot Bus Rapid Transit will serve the stations every five minutes. (A typical bus is now 40 feet long) Customers waiting at uniquely designed stations will enjoy state-of-the-art signage with real-time service information. Because of off-board fare collection, larger vehicles, fewer stops, dedicated lanes and signal preemption, trip times will be reduced by an estimated 26 percent. This will also serve to increase RTA's efficiency and lower operating costs.

The project is slated for completion in late 2008.

FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES ONLY:

Chad Self, 216-566-5211