| | | | |
 |  9/2/2010 7:57 PM |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
          |
 News & Updates | Newsroom News & Updates: Newsroom RTA News Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2002 RTA dedicates
new Southgate Transit Center CLEVELAND -- Officials of the Greater Cleveland
Regional Transit Authority (RTA) and the City of Maple Heights today
dedicated the new Southgate Transit Center. The $1.4 million facility, 5499
Warrensville Center Road at Southgate Blvd., will serve residents in
Southeast Cuyahoga County, especially those in Maple Heights, Warrensville
Heights, Bedford, Bedford Heights,
North Randall, Garfield Heights and Oakwood. It is adjacent to
Southgate USA. "We are very pleased to be able to offer our
customers such a beautiful facility," says RTA CEO & General Manager
Joe Calabrese. "Making connections between buses will now be much easier
and more convenient. It will allow RTA to offer improved service at a lower
cost." Better
service The transit center is served by four routes: In the future, RTA will look at other routes that
may possibly serve the facility, such as the #41AC Warrensville Center, the #802 Southeast Community
Circulator and the #90X
all the time. "Before today, transfer points for these
buses were spread out over several blocks," Calabrese says. "Now, all
the buses that serve this area will stop right here." Many buses layover at the transit center, which
offers customers a comfortable, well-lit, climate-controlled waiting area. The
1,800 square foot facility contains customer information and will be staffed at
times. It is ADA accessible and will be open during regular RTA service hours. The center, formerly the site of a closed bank
branch, also offers 28 parking places for cars. Additional parking is available
within easy walking distance. Calabrese thanked Gov. Bob Taft and the Ohio Department of Transportation for
helping to fund this project, as well as the North Olmsted transit center,
which will open next month. Calabrese also recognized artist Greg
Aliberti, whose ornamental tile art is integrated into the structure of the
building, as part of RTA's Arts in Transit program. Other transit
centers planned RTA already operates transit centers near the Westgate
Mall in Fairview Park, and near
the Euclid
Square Mall. Next month, RTA will dedicate a new transit center and
park-n-ride lot at I-480 in North
Olmsted. Other transit centers are planned for the Parmatown
Mall, and in Brecksville, Independence, Mayfield and Oakwood.
RTA also operates Park-N-Ride lots in Bay
Village, Berea, Brecksville, North Olmsted, North
Randall, Strongsville and Solon. RTA
background RTA's mission is to enhance
the quality of life in the region by providing outstanding, cost-effective
public transportation services. RTA's 2,740 employees
operate 758 buses on 1,100 route miles, and 108 rail cars on 34 miles of track.
Bus operators drive more than 90,000 route miles every day, and RTA carries
more than 45 percent of all public transit riders in Ohio. RTA's bus and rail
fleet is the 13th largest in the nation, and RTA carries an average
of 181,000 riders each weekday. Revenue from a one percent
countywide sales tax makes up more than 70 percent of RTA's $230 million
operating fund. Passenger fares generate 20 percent, and the other 10 percent
comes from federal and state funds, and transit advertising. In 2001, more than 58.2
million passengers rode RTA's trains, buses, Community Circulators and
paratransit vehicles. For personalized
scheduling, call the RTAnswerline, 216-621-9500. Persons who are hearing
impaired can call 216-781-4271. Visit RTA's Customer Service Center, 315 Euclid
Ave., from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday. FOR
MEDIA INQUIRIES ONLY: Jerry
Masek, 216.566.5211, jmasek@gcrta.org 
|