Yesterday, I tried to turn off my thoughts and just LOOK at things. Here are some photos from my sight-seeing tour of Cleveland--specifically in University Circle and downtown.
I rode the "Health Line" yesterday and accomplished my mission of getting to University Circle quickly and back downtown to catch the FREE concert at Cleveland Public Library. It was a pleasant ride, but I am glad that I did not take my bike, because the promised area for bikes/strollers is not really for bikes and stollers. The ride takes the same time the old #6 took to get from downtown to University Circle, maybe shaving a few seconds here and there. The driver on the way to University Circle did not even bother to collect or check fares. She just waved me on, so I suspect she was running slightly late.
One thing I do have to say--the fare is now $4.50 for the all day pass. I was caught off-guard on my way down and I have to tip my hat off to my driver on the 22, who let me on with my four dollars by adding .50 from his own pocket. Lamarr, I love you and as promised good karma will come to you!!! I have always found RTA's drivers to be almost saintly at times--everyday heroes. The aforementioned Great Lamarr also expertly managed two wheelchair patrons with kindness and grace yesterday.
The University Circle/Little Italy odyssey, while waiting for Chris to finish working on the computer at Kelvin Smith Library. Wandering through Little Italy, it occurred to me that certain parts of Cleveland have gravitational pull--places you go to when you want to attract other bodies in motion. I ended up by the fire at Algebra Tea House for a while and enjoyed my intellectual conversation with Ameer, who is all of four years old, but wise beyond his years. I love the inviting warrens and secret courtyards of Little Italy and often wish that I could fit in there. Alas, I am too old for the student scene, but it is nice to have a flashback, now and then. The day's end reward? Dinner at Mama Santas. La Dolce Vita :)
and your praise of RTA drivers is right on - some of the nicest, intelligent and considerate people I've ever encountered. Lets hope they get paid enough for their work!
The RTA Red Line rapid could handle enough riders to take 1,000 vehicles off the road during a peak rush hour, said Mike Schipper, deputy general manager of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority. He said he met with ODOT officials in December to discuss how RTA could help if the bridge reduced lanes or was closed. Schipper believes 1,000 vehicles per peak hour is about a fourth of the traffic using the bridge at that time. RTA runs one or two trains on the Red Line, which travels from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport to Tower City, and could add a third train, he said. There is enough parking at the stations and buses that go to the stations could handle more people.
Of course, Steven Litt goes on to say that Mayor Jackson will allow a closure of the Inner Belt bridge, IF the Opportunity Corridor gets fast-tracked..
Jackson flatly rejected closing the bridge when ODOT inquired about it in November. He said there were too many unanswered questions over closing it. However, he said, he might reconsider if saving money on the project freed up funds for other projects in the city, including the Opportunity Corridor extending Interstate 490 from East 55th Street to University Circle and reconstructing the West Shoreway.
And to that, I say, don't cave in to blackmail Mayor Jackson.
Submitted by Norm Roulet on Sun, 01/11/2009 - 12:40.
I read the despicable "2009 Urban Agenda for Securing Cleveland's Future", supposedly by Frank Jackson (probably by Nancy Lesic and the GCP), a highly disturbing and misleading, self-promoting puff campaign brochure published at taxpayer expense about what is supposedly great about Mayor Jackson.. and it is full of shit.
Regarding lead poisoning, Mayor Jackson writes:
Lead Poisoning Prevention: As a public health concern, lead poisoning prevention is one of Cleveland’s top priorities because it diminishes quality of life, leads to behavioral problems in children, and contributes tremendously to learning disabilities. Lead poisoning rates of Cleveland children under the age of six using recent data is 42 percent of children, using the City’s tough five (5) micrograms per deciliter or greater standard. Two major challenges we face in addressing this issue are: o Increasing the number of children tested; and, o The ability to treat and assist children who have elevated lead blood levels effectively. I am developing a program that will help us test all pre-K students entering CMSD and working with the school district to develop resources to assist children with lead poisoning more effectively.
This part of Frank's "Agenda" is wrong, and so is pretty much everything else.
After reading this and seeing what a dangerous, self-absorbed politician Jackson truly is... watching him take public money and trust day in and day out and give all that to really poor local leaders - public and private - who all together demolished the entire Flats East Bank historic district and made it into a bankrupt wasteland...
Jackson is their leader of leaders and I hold him responsible for all that is wrong here now - and I give him very little personal credit for any very few things here that have gotten better under his administration...
Who other than even worse sell-out Chris Ronayne will run against Jackson.
Regional Economics Action Links North East Ohio
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Rode it
I rode the "Health Line" yesterday and accomplished my mission of getting to University Circle quickly and back downtown to catch the FREE concert at Cleveland Public Library. It was a pleasant ride, but I am glad that I did not take my bike, because the promised area for bikes/strollers is not really for bikes and stollers. The ride takes the same time the old #6 took to get from downtown to University Circle, maybe shaving a few seconds here and there. The driver on the way to University Circle did not even bother to collect or check fares. She just waved me on, so I suspect she was running slightly late.
One thing I do have to say--the fare is now $4.50 for the all day pass. I was caught off-guard on my way down and I have to tip my hat off to my driver on the 22, who let me on with my four dollars by adding .50 from his own pocket. Lamarr, I love you and as promised good karma will come to you!!! I have always found RTA's drivers to be almost saintly at times--everyday heroes. The aforementioned Great Lamarr also expertly managed two wheelchair patrons with kindness and grace yesterday.
More sightseeing today
The University Circle/Little Italy odyssey, while waiting for Chris to finish working on the computer at Kelvin Smith Library. Wandering through Little Italy, it occurred to me that certain parts of Cleveland have gravitational pull--places you go to when you want to attract other bodies in motion. I ended up by the fire at Algebra Tea House for a while and enjoyed my intellectual conversation with Ameer, who is all of four years old, but wise beyond his years. I love the inviting warrens and secret courtyards of Little Italy and often wish that I could fit in there. Alas, I am too old for the student scene, but it is nice to have a flashback, now and then. The day's end reward? Dinner at Mama Santas. La Dolce Vita :)
how nice your photos lmcshane
and your praise of RTA drivers is right on - some of the nicest, intelligent and considerate people I've ever encountered. Lets hope they get paid enough for their work!
Kindess and grace
The answer is before US and we fail to SEE :) Use the Medical Mart tax to subsidize free public transportation in Cleveland. We have great conductors like Lamarr. Have all employers underwrite the service for their employees and dictate route accomodations. Everyone benefits.
The RTA Red Line rapid could handle enough riders to take 1,000 vehicles off the road during a peak rush hour, said Mike Schipper, deputy general manager of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority. He said he met with ODOT officials in December to discuss how RTA could help if the bridge reduced lanes or was closed. Schipper believes 1,000 vehicles per peak hour is about a fourth of the traffic using the bridge at that time. RTA runs one or two trains on the Red Line, which travels from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport to Tower City, and could add a third train, he said. There is enough parking at the stations and buses that go to the stations could handle more people.
Of course, Steven Litt goes on to say that Mayor Jackson will allow a closure of the Inner Belt bridge, IF the Opportunity Corridor gets fast-tracked..
Jackson flatly rejected closing the bridge when ODOT inquired about it in November. He said there were too many unanswered questions over closing it. However, he said, he might reconsider if saving money on the project freed up funds for other projects in the city, including the Opportunity Corridor extending Interstate 490 from East 55th Street to University Circle and reconstructing the West Shoreway.
And to that, I say, don't cave in to blackmail Mayor Jackson.
Jackson is their leader of leaders and I hold him responsible
I read the despicable "2009 Urban Agenda for Securing Cleveland's Future", supposedly by Frank Jackson (probably by Nancy Lesic and the GCP), a highly disturbing and misleading, self-promoting puff campaign brochure published at taxpayer expense about what is supposedly great about Mayor Jackson.. and it is full of shit.
Regarding lead poisoning, Mayor Jackson writes:
This part of Frank's "Agenda" is wrong, and so is pretty much everything else.
After reading this and seeing what a dangerous, self-absorbed politician Jackson truly is... watching him take public money and trust day in and day out and give all that to really poor local leaders - public and private - who all together demolished the entire Flats East Bank historic district and made it into a bankrupt wasteland...
Jackson is their leader of leaders and I hold him responsible for all that is wrong here now - and I give him very little personal credit for any very few things here that have gotten better under his administration...
Who other than even worse sell-out Chris Ronayne will run against Jackson.
Disrupt IT