RTA Rapid Transit

RTA Rapid Transit (generally known as The Rapid) is a rapid transit and light rail system owned and operated by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA).

RTA Rapid Transit
Overview
OwnerGreater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
LocaleCuyahoga County, Ohio
Transit typeRapid transit
Light rail
Number of lines1 rapid transit: Red
3 light rail: Blue, Green, Waterfront[1]
Number of stations18 rapid transit
34 light rail[1]
Daily ridership10,800 (rapid transit, weekdays, Q4 2023)
2,500 (light rail, weekdays, Q4 2023)[2]
Annual ridership3,469,100 (rapid transit, 2023)
661,500 (light rail, 2023)[3]
Operation
Began operationOctober 25, 1859 (1859-10-25)
(first streetcar line);
December 17, 1913 (1913-12-17)
(current lines);
March 15, 1955 (1955-03-15)
(rapid transit);
October 11, 1980 (1980-10-11)
(light rail)
Ended operationOctober 30, 1981 (1981-10-30)
(last streetcar use)
Number of vehicles40 rapid transit cars
34 light rail cars[1]
Technical
System length19 mi (31 km) rapid transit
18 mi (29 km) light rail[1]
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
System map

The system serves Cleveland and surrounding areas in Cuyahoga County. The system currently consists of four total service lines: one rapid transit rail line and three light rail lines.

Rail Lines

The four rail lines join at Tower City Center in downtown Cleveland, on the platform level of the former Cleveland Union Terminal.

Three rail lines share their tracks at Tri-C–Campus District and East 55th stations. This sharing of one route by light and heavy rail trains is quite unusual. The shared stations have connected platforms of two heights to accommodate the two kinds of trains. And the two types of trains both use the same maintenance facility since they both use the same track gauge and same source of power (overhead catenary).

Red Line
Main article: Red Line (RTA Rapid Transit)

The Red Line, a heavy-rail route, runs in both directions on fully grade-separated rights-of-way built from 1955 to 1968. It serves Cleveland's southwest suburbs, with its southwestern terminus at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Heading northeast, the Red Line serves University Circle before heading to its northeastern terminus at the Louis Stokes Station at Windermere in East Cleveland.

Blue, Green, and Waterfront Lines

The Blue and Green light-rail lines (alternatively known as the RTA Shaker Rapid) were built from 1913 to 1936 as grade-separated lines closer to downtown and surface lines along street medians in the streetcar suburb of Shaker Heights.

The two lines part ways at Shaker Square, a historic mixed-use community in Cleveland proper, just west of the Shaker Heights border. The Blue Line veers southeast along Van Aken Boulevard until reaching its terminus near the intersection of Warrensville Center Road and Chagrin Boulevard (U.S. Route 422 and State Route 8). The Green line continues due east along Shaker Boulevard (State Route 87) until reaching its terminus at the intersection of Green Road.

Light rail vehicle on the Waterfront Line

The Waterfront Line, opened in 1996, extends the Blue and Green Lines from Tower City north through The Flats. It then travels northeast along the shoreline of Lake Erie, servicing the local Amtrak station and terminates at the Lakefront Municipal lot. The Waterfront light rail line provides access from Tower City Center to the Flats, Cleveland Browns Stadium, the Great Lakes Science Center, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Burke Lakefront Airport.

Stations
Cleveland Rapid Transit, 1913–present

The RTA Rapid Transit system consists of a total of 47 stations.[4] The stations are fully or partially within the city limits of Cleveland, Shaker Heights, East Cleveland, and Brook Park.

Tower City on the Red, Blue, Green, and Waterfront Lines
Coventry on the Green Line
West 25th on the Red Line
Lee-Van Aken on the Blue Line
Settlers Landing on the Waterfront Line
Airport on the Red Line
Belvoir on the Green Line
†* Terminus and transfer stations
† Terminal stations
* Transfer stations
Closed stations
Station Rapid Transit lines Jurisdiction Opened Rebuilt ADA access
Airport†RedCleveland196819941994
AmtrakWaterfrontCleveland1997
AshbyBlueShaker Heights19201981
AttleboroGreenShaker Heights19131980
AvalonBlueShaker Heights19201981
BelvoirGreenShaker Heights19361980
BrookparkRedCleveland / Brook Park196920172003
Buckeye–Woodhill*Blue GreenCleveland19201981, 20122012
Cedar–UniversityRedCleveland195520142002
CourtlandGreenShaker Heights19151980
CoventryGreenCleveland / Shaker Heights19131980
DrexmoreBlueCleveland19481981
East 9th–North CoastWaterfrontCleveland19961996
East 55th*Red Blue GreenCleveland192020112011
East 79thRedCleveland19552021 2021
East 79th*Blue GreenCleveland19201981
East 105th–QuincyRedCleveland195520052005
East 116th–St. Luke's*Blue GreenCleveland19201981, 20192019
EatonGreenShaker Heights19151980
Euclid–East 120thRedCleveland1955
FarnsleighBlueShaker Heights19301981, 20192019
Flats East BankWaterfrontCleveland19961996
Green Road†GreenShaker Heights19361980, 19882001
KenmoreBlueShaker Heights19201981
Lee–ShakerGreenShaker Heights19131980, 20172017
Lee–Van AkenBlueShaker Heights19201981, 20152015
Little Italy–University CircleRedCleveland20152015
LynnfieldBlueShaker Heights19201981
OnawayBlueShaker Heights19201980
Puritas–West 150thRedCleveland196820112011
Settlers LandingWaterfrontCleveland19961996
Shaker Square*Blue GreenCleveland192019862006
South Harbor†WaterfrontCleveland19961996
South ParkGreenShaker Heights19131980
South WoodlandBlueCleveland / Shaker Heights19201981
SouthingtonBlueShaker Heights19201980
SouthingtonGreenShaker Heights19131981
SuperiorRedEast Cleveland195519961996
Tower City†*Red Blue Green WaterfrontCleveland193019901990
Tri-C–Campus District*Red Blue GreenCleveland19302003, 20182018
TriskettRedCleveland195820002000
Warrensville–ShakerGreenShaker Heights19281980, 20162016
Warrensville–Van Aken†BlueShaker Heights19301981, 19991999
West 3rdWaterfrontCleveland19991999
West 25th–Ohio CityRedCleveland195519921992
West 65th–LorainRedCleveland195520042004
West 117th–MadisonRedCleveland195520072007
West Boulevard–CudellRedCleveland195519991999
West GreenGreenShaker Heights19361980
West ParkRedCleveland195819961996
Windermere†*RedEast Cleveland195519971997

Note: Euclid–East 120th Street station closed in 2015 and was replaced by Little Italy–University Circle station.

See also

References
  1. "Overview: Facts about the Greater Cleveland RTA". Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority. 29 November 2014. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  2. "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  3. "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  4. RTA system maps
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