US 20 in Ohio: RTA Healthline on Euclid Avenue

Last July, I wrote here about the Euclid Corridor Project , which was a complete reworking of US Route 20 (Euclid Avenue) in Cleveland, Ohio, from the Terminal Tower east to University Circle.

The work is done, and an official “grand opening” of the new and improved Euclid Avenue in downtown Cleveland will be held on October 24-25, 2008. American Idol winner Jordan Sparks will perform on October 25th at a concert in downtown Cleveland as part of the grand opening.

The corridor will also be christened with its new name, the RTA HealthLine. No, it’s not a phone number to call for medical information. It gets its new name from a partnership with the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals, and of course, Cleveland’s Regional Transit Authority.

The improvements to US route 20 include a special rapid transit vehicle (RTV) that will move passengers through 59 stops, beginning at Cleveland’s downtown Public Square and ending at University Circle. The vehicles will help make the ride a little “greener”, since they are powered with hybrid technology. All 59 stations are equipped with a fare vending machine, generous seating, and 24 hour lighting; 19 of the stations have an interactive kiosk to keep travelers informed and even entertained during their short wait. There were also 1,500 new trees planted on the route to beautify the area. Special bike lanes have also been added.




It’s interesting to note that the area where this new line runs is in the same area as where Cleveland’s Millionaire’s Row was once located. It was reported that the Euclid Corridor project itself cost $200 million for the 7.1-mile stretch of Euclid Avenue where the HealthLine will run.


For more information, check out the RTA HealthLine web site.


Here is an overview of the Euclid Corridor Project when it began.





The US Route 20 Blog homepage can be found here.

US 20 in Ohio: Euclid Corridor Project Wraps Up

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Euclid Corridor Project, which is a complete reworking of US Route 20 from the Terminal Tower, east to University Circle, will be completed soon. I was just in downtown Cleveland yesterday and snapped a few pictures and video clips of the work in progress closer to the Terminal Tower. While it still looks like quite a mess, there are many things already in place that indicate this will be a great help to moving cars, buses, and pedestrians on Euclid Avenue. I took a short video of the construction area (below).


Short Video of Construction Area



Here’s the story from the Cleveland Plain Dealer with a full update on the project’s completion.

Euclid Avenue construction nears completion
Posted by James Ewinger July 16, 2008 23:30PM
Updated at 11:30 p.m.
Chris Stephens/The Plain Dealer

Mike Lang stands behind an improbable but well-stocked bar, amid oceans of exquisitely tailored clothing.

The new bar and a line of women's apparel are in response to an 80 percent drop in his business since the Euclid Corridor project started taking shape outside his expansive windows at East 12th Street and Euclid Avenue.

"It's been horribly distressing, but I understand that instead of putting icing on a cake that's rotten, they have to do the infrastructure first," Lang said.

A part of the infrastructure that's been closed since October is to reopen by noon today.

Traffic is expected to be restored on Euclid Avenue between East Ninth and East 14th streets, the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority announced Wednesday. The leg from Public Square to East Ninth is to reopen July 28.

The road construction is part of RTA's Euclid Corridor project, a $200 million effort that's remaking Euclid Avenue into a bus-rapid transit system.

"Lower Euclid Avenue is at the very heart of Cleveland, and having traffic restored there will enable thousands to move around the city easier and enjoy all the improvements the project has made," said Joe Calabrese, RTA's CEO and general manager.

Elliot Azoff, an attorney with the law firm of Baker & Hostetler in the downtown National City Bank building, welcomes the completion.

"If they ever get it finished, I can cross the street without feeling like I'm going through a battle zone," Azoff said. As a motorist, though, he's less enthusiastic about the project because he found it difficult to drive Euclid Avenue even before the construction.
The heaviest work remains at the eastern end of the project between East 86th Street and the East Cleveland line, with an expected grand opening by Oct. 25.

For all of his trials and tribulations, Lang calls the corridor project a spark for public and private investment, a rising tide of retail and residential development.

The Bonfoey Gallery, a 115-year-old art gallery at the corner of East 17th Street and Euclid Avenue, lost its on-street parking but felt a "minimal" drop in business since the corridor began to take shape, said general manager Olga Merela.

But "our business is very different from others," Merela said. "Our clients are more geographically diverse and foot traffic coming through our door is not the bulk of our business."

Bonfoey president Richard G. Moore is happy with results from the Euclid Corridor project, saying traffic flows freely and the new extension of East 17th Street south makes the store visible to a stream of cars that didn't exist before.
But at the westernmost end of Euclid Avenue, Dan Krasny has given up on any traffic until the project is completed.

He shut down his Vivo's restaurant in the Old Arcade on July 1, and laid off 35 employees.

"They forced me to close my restaurant. You couldn't even walk in my front door," he said.

"Our plan is to reopen when the street is finished, but that could change in 10 minutes," he said. "People need to be told."

RTA spokesman Jerry Masek said the sidewalk by the Arcade will reopen by late July along with the street itself.

"We realize our construction has caused some merchants great inconvenience but that is the price of progress. . . . Businesses have been closing on Euclid Avenue for years, and they were not that noticeable because there was not a multimillion-dollar project outside their door. If we weren't there, businesses would still be closing."

Masek said the transit authority hopes Vivo's reopens "because it's a good restaurant."



The US Route 20 Blog homepage can be found here.

US 20 in Ohio: The Euclid Corridor Project

In Cleveland, US 20, called Euclid Avenue, is getting a much needed facelift. It isn’t just a simple repaving of the street and new sidewalks. The project will mean the addition of a BRT – Bus Rapid Transit – with dedicated lanes. These new vehicles will have exclusive lanes with a traffic control system, and the vehicles themselves will be environmentally friendly, using clean-burning fuels and batteries. There will be new methods for collecting fares that will make boarding much more efficient, and all platforms will be level and be ADA accessible. The surrounding “streetscape” will be completely redone, with beautiful sidewalks, landscaping, and passenger stations.

Even more important than the new look of Euclid Avenue will be the ability to move people through this traditionally busy area. The Euclid Corridor Project web site says, “The Rapid Transit System will connect the central business district (the region's largest employment center) with the University Circle area (the second largest employment center) and major cultural, medical and educational districts. The idea of the Rapid Transit System is to provide the quality of rail transit, while benefiting from the flexibility of buses.”

I was at Cleveland's Public Square in November and took a walk out to look at the work being done on US 20 right near the square. Construction was still going on. I’d have to say that it was a mess and quite difficult to navigate on foot, and looked even more impossible by car. However, I could see some of the materials set out for the new sidewalk area and I think it will be beautiful when it’s completed. I can understand, though, that many businesses have been hurt badly by this project while work goes on. But in the long run, this will be a huge improvement for the city and will make traveling down Euclid Avenue much easier. This should translate to improved business conditions, better than before construction began. By the way, this project was funded by tax dollars – federal, state, and city.

The Euclid Corridor Project web site has project news and updates, several pictures of the progress, and a video download of the project overview. Since the video is available for direct download, I’ve embedded it below for your viewing. If you want to download the video directly to your computer, you can find it the Euclid Corridor Project web site,here.


Project Overview


If you want more information on Cleveland, visit my blog
All Things Cleveland.

The US Route 20 Blog homepage can be found here.