CLEVELAND -- The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) will be making much-needed improvements and updates to its East Side Rapid lines in June. This means that parts of the system will be shut down for part of June and July, giving RTA and ODOT crews the time to work on a host of projects, including the Innerbelt, track upgrades and work at two stations -- Cedar-University and Little Italy-University Circle. Buses will serve customers during the closures.

• June 7, ODOT work begins.
• June 8, Summer service changes take effect.
• June 8-29, Mayfield Road closed at East 119th Street.(link is external) The posted detour will provide access to Little Italy.
• June 30, Mayfield Road will re-open.

Saturday-Sunday, June 7-8 and 14-15

Buses replace trains for ALL rail service east of Tower City (Blue, Green and Red), as ODOT crews remove steel bridge beams across RTA tracks. During these weekends:

• Use a separate Red Line timetable, dated June 7, 2014. There will be no separate timetable for the Blue, Green and Waterfront lines.
• Waterfront Line trains will operate every 30 minutes.
• All buses to East Side Rapid stations will pick up at the trolley stop near the Public Square entrance of the Horseshoe Casino(link is external).
• Red Line buses will follow a shorter route, described below. Riders who normally use the Blue and Green rail lines must use the Blue and Green line buses.

Monday-Friday, June 9-13, and Monday-Saturday, June 16-21

During these two weeks:

• Use the Red Line timetable dated June 7, 2014. The Red Line will operate between Hopkins Airport and Tower City ONLY.
• Rush-hour frequency will be 10 minutes.
• Blue, Green and Waterfront line trains will operate a normal schedule.
• Buses labeled Red Line will replace Red Line trains east of Tower City. Because the Blue and Green line trains also serve several Red Line stations, Red Line buses will follow a shorter, faster path, thus greatly reducing your commute time.
• The Red Line bus will serve East 105-Quincy, Cedar-University, East 120, Superior and the Louis Stokes Station at Windermere.
• To reach the East 34th Street Station, ride a Blue or Green line train.
• To reach the East 55th Street Station, ride a Blue or Green line train. The Red Line bus will stop at East 55th Street and Woodland Avenue(link is external), about one-half mile from the station.
• To reach the East 79th Street Red Line Station, ride to the East 79 Street Station on the Blue-Green line, or ride the Red Line bus, which will stop at East 79th Street and Woodland Avenue(link is external) about two-tenths of a mile walk from the Red Line Station.

Sunday, June 22, on-going construction work begins

• Use the Red Line timetable dated June 22, 2014.
• Red Line trains will operate between Hopkins Airport and the Cedar-University Station ONLY.
• Rush-hour frequency will return to normal.
• Red Line buses will serve Cedar-University, East 120, Superior and the Louis Stokes Station at Windermere.
• Blue, Green and Waterfront Line trains will operate a normal schedule.
• The completion date has not yet been finalized.

Customers with questions can call Customer Service at 216-621-9500 for an easier commute.

RTA provides quality, economic and safe public transportation via rail, bus and Paratransit throughout Cuyahoga County. Real-time information is available for all buses and trains. Check www.riderta.com or call the RTAnswerline at 216-621-9500.

Media Contact: Mary Shaffer, Public Relations: 216-566-5211