June 21st is National 'Dump the Pump' Day

We have another grassroots effort to protest the use and cost of fossil fuel coming up. It is sponsored by the American Public Transportation Society (APTA). Their figures show people in this Country took 10.1 billion trips on public transportation in 2006.

How about NE Ohio? RTA stats show that for the fourth straight year, ridership was up. This past year, .03%. Might not sound like much but that meant an additional 150k plus trips for a grand total in 2006 of 57.2 million rides. They also said that the blue and green lines servicing Shaker/Cleveland increased ridership by 5.1%.

A good time to try it out yourself? Next Thursday for Dump the Pump Day. Good time to start planning the trip now. It's really a good way to show your support for the reduction in reliance on foreign oil. It's really a good way to show the value in energy conservation no matter where the oil comes from, when you get right down to it. Some other facts from the press release on Dump The Pump Day:

• 
  Each year, public transportation use saves the equivalent of 140,769 service station tanker truck trips clogging our streets


• Each year, public transportation use saves the equivalent of 34 supertankers of oil, or a supertanker leaving the Middle East every 11 days


• Each year public transportation households save over $1,399 worth of gas


• Transit availability can reduce the need for an additional car, a yearly expense of $6,251 in a household budget

It's a good idea! I realize everyone doesn't live near transit access (which is a shame, it's a great reason to move). If you have the opportunity and the accessibility, why not participate in this. Who knows, you might find out it's a great way to get to work and wind up doing it more often. Peace Out - 3C

Euclid Corridor Project Discussed at Cleveland's City Hall Today

The Euclid Corridor Project was analyzed today at City Hall; progress was discussed. Did you know that the Silver Line Transportation Plan of RTA is expected to entice 56,000 new jobs to Cleveland - there will be 36 stops, sidewalks, trees; you can check out the Silver Line Plans. What do you think? Construction begins between E 55th and E. 83rd street this Thursday. This is the Cleve. State Univ. report on the project and the fact that the Corridor is one of the Oral History Art Project sites to be developed. These are all of the sites for 'audio' oral histories: Public Square; E. 9th; Playhouse Square; E. 19th; E. 40th; E. 59th; between E. 60th and E. 90th (TBD); E. 93rd; Adelbert Road – University Circle; Ford-Euclid – University Circle.

This has been in the works for a while. Here is a press release issued by Senator Voinovich in 2003.

Here are some maps/renderings of the Project from the Silver Line (RTA) site.

Peace Out - 3C

Is Transit Oriented Development in Cleveland The Wave of the Future?

Are we ready for Transit Oriented Development (TOD) in Downtown Cleveland - and Northeast Ohio in general? There is an article in Crain's Cleveland today about the Euclid Avenue design and it's focus on the new RTA stops there. The 'hope' is to attract mixed use development on Euclid Avenue (shops, office, housing). Joseph Calabrese (RTA) seems to think this is an idea that has 'come.' Certainly I've noticed a shift in thinking. Back in the 70s when people sat in lines at filling stations, waiting to fuel up, they may have thought fuel rationing was an aberration. Now, everyone looks in their wallet and sees how much of their monthly money is going towards transportation costs.

The Center for Transit Oriented Development is located in California - you know, where they began eating organically and eventually all other States followed suit? Is TOD an idea that our State, and specifically Cleveland, will embrace wholeheartedly? The Center for Transit Oriented Development did studies (which can be read here) and they are predicted that Cleveland will experience a 62% increase in the numbers of people living near public transportation -- by the year 2030. 2030! We can't wait that long! Anyway, I digress. W. 25th Street's RTA station is already in the works for a housing development on a triangle of land near the Station and across the street from The Market. I'm anxious to see this unfold and play out. Will people really be rushing to purchase a home near the Station so they can give up their car? The recent studies claim that Clevelanders interviewed are anxious to cut one car out of their daily lives (most families have at least two). So we'll see if there really has been a major paradigm shift in thinking. I'm excited, but I try not to get too excited since things progress so slowly here. Peace Out - 3C