Rider's Digest -- October 2015

 Rider's Digest -- October 2015

RTA continues to upgrade rail tracks and rail stations with work this fall

RTA continues to invest money to upgrade its rail network. Two shutdowns are planned this month, so RTA can upgrade grade crossings in the Flats, and construct a new station at Brookpark. In each case, buses will replace trains.

Waterfront Line

From Oct. 5-17, Waterfront Line rail service between the Tower City and South Harbor stations will be replaced with 67R buses. Buses will run on a schedule similar to rail, but you are encouraged to allow extra travel time to reach your destination.

Pick up and drop off locations are at specially marked 67R stop signs. The stop for Tower City is on Public Square in front of the Horseshoe Casino Cleveland.

RTA will reconstruct grade crossings on Robert Lockwood Drive and St. Clair Avenue. Asphalt paving will be added and new sidewalks installed.

RTA will also add a pedestrian crossing at the Settler’s Landing Station, and make track upgrades from Robert Lockwood Drive to Flats East Bank.
Robert Lockwood Drive will be open for vehicular traffic during weekdays and closed during weekends for work.

Regular Waterfront Line service will resume on Sunday, Oct. 18.

New Lee-Van Aken Station to open in stages on the Blue Line

RTA continues construction of the Lee-Van Aken Station, one of the busiest on the Blue Line. This station is located in a hub of activity, near the Shaker Heights Town Center, City Hall, the Library and new residential properties.

The station has remained open throughout construction. The new station will be introduced in stages throughout the fall months.

  • Monday, Oct. 5: Westbound customers can begin using the new stairs on the north side. Eastbound customers will continue to use the temporary wooden stairs on the south side.
  • Late October-early November: New stairs and elevators will be completed on both side of the tracks. The track-level ramp for westbound disabled passengers will be operational.
  • Late November: The handicapped ramp at track level will be completed for eastbound customers. Improvements to the platform will be finished.

Circus and concerts highlight Arena slate

Four concerts by country music superstar Garth Brooks, and nine performance by the Ringling Brothers Circus, highlight October entertainment at Quicken Loans Arena.

For all events, ride any Rapid line into the Tower City Station, and use RTA’s Walkway to reach your Arena seat without going outside. The Walkway opens two hours before every event. OR, you can ride the HealthLine on Euclid Avenue to Public Square, walk through Tower City, and use the Walkway. The HealthLine operates 24/7.

Garth Brooks

In order to meet the ticket demand, Garth Brooks scheduled concerts at 7 and 10:30 p.m. on Friday-Saturday, Oct. 9-10. If you are planning to attend a 10:30 p.m. show, know that there will be RTA trains at Tower City ready to take you home. After the concert, please proceed directly to the Rapid platform. Service operates for one hour after the event ends.

Circus

The Greatest Show on Earth has performances at 7 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday, Oct. 21-25, with extra shows added at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Bring your little ones, and have an enjoyable, stress-free ride on RTA.

Can you sing or play an instrument?

RTA is looking for local musicians to perform at various transit stations for its 2016 Transit Tracks program. You must apply by Oct. 19.

RTA employees and community members in the music business will select the musicians to perform every third Thursday from 3:30-6:30 p.m., and during the Republican National Convention.

Selected musicians must sign a permit to play. RTA will promote the performances with the media and on-line. There will be compensation.

For details, send e-mail here.

Nominations open for RTA customer service award

The annual General Manager’s Customer Service Award recognizes employees or employee groups for exceptional customer service. All RTA employees or employee groups are eligible for the award. An employee group could be a task force, team, or any combination of employees who work together on a project.

If you know of an employee or group of employees you want to nominate, now is the time. Jan. 10, 2016, is the deadline for customers to complete the nomination form and submit it to the General Manager.

The General Manager will review all nominations and make the final selection of award recipients.

Employees or employee groups can be nominated for:

  • Solving an extraordinary problem.
  • Achieving or exceeding a significantly difficult goal that serves internal and/or external customers.
  • Successful implementation of an innovative customer service idea or concept where the result is identifiable and measurable.
  • An outstanding act of customer service that brings positive recognition to RTA or results in a delighted customer.

Please keep nominations to a reasonable length and limit attachments to no more than 3 pages. For more details, go here.

For Your Safety: Jaywalking is dangerous

Jaywalking is illegal and dangerous.

According to the National Safety Council, jaywalking causes more than 6,000 pedestrian accidents every year.

If you cross a road at any point that is not a designated crosswalk, you are jaywalking.

Here are some tips to help you stay safe:

  • Always use designated crosswalks, marked by white lines and/or a yellow Pedestrian Crossing sign.
  • Cross only when the crosswalk signal directs you to. When a sign says Don’t Walk, it means that it is dangerous to cross at that time.
  • Stay alert and be aware of your surroundings.
  • Look both ways when crossing the street at crosswalks. Ensure that traffic has stopped in all directions.
  • Put your cell phone away while crossing a street. Whatever you are doing, it can wait a few seconds until you are back on the sidewalk.
  • Pay attention to all oncoming and stopped traffic.
  • When walking at night, wear or carry something that is reflective, to make yourself more visible.
  • Never cross behind a vehicle that is backing up.
  • Walk briskly. Do not loiter in the crosswalk.

Three RTA meetings set

There are three public meetings at RTA this month. They are held on the first floor, Main Office, 1240 West 6th St. The site is served by the free B-Line and E-Line trolleys.

Oct. 8 – The 21-member volunteer Citizens Advisory Board meets from 8:30-10 a.m.

Oct. 13 and 20 – The Board of Trustees meets at 9 a.m.

Heading for Hopkins?

If you’re heading for Hopkins this fall, the best way to get there is on RTA.

Ride a Red Line train. It takes less than 30 minutes to go between Downtown Cleveland’s Tower City Station and the Airport Station.

RTA's Airport Station is on the lower level of the terminal complex. To reach it, take the elevators or escalators near the center of the ticketing and baggage claim levels.

RTA's regularly scheduled service also makes this the most convenient and least expensive way to travel. The Red Line operates 7 days a week, from 4 a.m.-12:30 a.m.  

Riding the Rapid costs $2.25 each way for a one-vehicle or one-train ride. If you will travel on more than one vehicle or train (i.e. Red Line and transfer to another rail line or bus to complete your trip),buy a 5-Trip farecard, which includes transfers. For unlimited rides for an entire day, buy the All-Day Pass for $5.

Transfers are included in all Monthly Passes, 5-Trip cards, All-Day Passes and 7-Day Passes. Passes can be purchased from the Ticket Vending Machines at the Airport Station. Exact fare is required and credit/debit cards can be used.

The Red Line uses a Proof of Payment system. Keep activated passes and farecards handy, in case Transit Police asks to see your Proof of Payment.

RTA's Red Line was the first Rapid Transit service to an International Airport in North America. On Nov. 15, 1968, direct Rapid Transit service began operating between Downtown and Hopkins International Airport. In addition to serving air travelers, the new extension brought Rapid transit facilities closer to Southwest suburban commuters.

Red Line rail cars upgraded

RTA’s two-year project to update its heavy-rail fleet of Red Line cars is right on track. Crews have finished upgrading 28 of the 40 most-used heavy-rail vehicles. Three more cars are in progress, and nine are remaining.

All cars are getting interior 'facelifts', in addition to recently completed exterior work. The budget for interior work is $3.5 million. It will extend the life of each car by 15 years.

The work is being done by 18 employees in the Body Shop at the Central Rail Maintenance Facility. All materials used are Buy America compliant.