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HealthLine

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For the medical website, see Healthline.
A HealthLine bus passes the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine
Overview
OperatorGCRTA
GarageHayden
VehicleNew Flyer Xcelsior XN60
StatusOperational
Began serviceOctober 24, 2008[1]
Route
Route typeBus rapid transit
LocaleCleveland and East Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
StartPublic Square
EndLouis Stokes Station at Windermere
Length6.8 mi (11 km)
Stations59
Service
Operates24 hours
Ridership1,462,001 (2020)
←      →

The HealthLine (formerly known as the Silver Line[2] and as the Euclid Corridor Transportation Project) is a bus rapid transit (BRT) line run by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority in Cleveland and East Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The line runs along Euclid Avenue from Public Square in downtown Cleveland to the Louis Stokes Station at Windermere in East Cleveland. It began operation on October 24, 2008.[3] Its current name was the result of a naming rights deal with the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals of Cleveland.[4] The HealthLine is denoted with a silver color and abbreviated simply as HL on most RTA publications.

The HealthLine's ridership peaked at 5.08 million rides in 2014, but has declined to 1.7 million rides in 2023 following the impacts of COVID-19.[5]

The Healthline is tied with Connecticut Transit's CTfastrak and Muni's Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit as the second-top rated BRT system in the United States, each with a Silver rating according to the BRT Standard.[6][7] Only ABQ RIDE's Albuquerque Rapid Transit has achieved the top rating of Gold.

History

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Going back to the 1950s, the city of Cleveland considered alternatives for rapid transit along Euclid Avenue between downtown and University Circle. In 1985, the city commissioned a study called the Dual Hub Corridor Alternatives Analysis/Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The study estimated the cost of a subway along this corridor to be $1 billion and an option that involved a light rail component at $750 million.[8] A further study in 1993 examined additional alternatives, including a bus rapid transit plan, which ultimately was selected by the RTA in 1995. Upon adoption by the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency in December 1995, the name of the project was changed from the Dual Hub Corridor to the Euclid Corridor.[9]

The plan included the Euclid Corridor busway, relocating five Red Line stations and right-of-way improvements on East 17th and East 18th Streets. At the time, the estimated cost of the project was $210 million with the federal government funding 80% of the cost.[9] In 1996, the Federal Transit Administration provided $4.0 million in funds for initial engineering studies. The initial ridership projections were 29,500 boardings per day by 2025. In 1999, the plan was scaled back to include only the busway and a budget of $228.6 million was established with the city seeking a 59% federal government share, or $135.0 million.[10] The final design was completed in 2002 and the project was funded in 2004, with completion in 2008. The total cost was $197.2 million, which accounted for some additional changes to the initial scope.[11]

In 2008, the RTA secured a naming rights deal with the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals for $6.25 million over 25 years and the route was renamed the HealthLine.[12]

Route description

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The HealthLine route travels 6.8 miles (11 km) along Euclid Avenue from Public Square in Downtown Cleveland to Louis Stokes Station at Windermere in East Cleveland. It passes through the neighborhoods of Downtown, Midtown, Fairfax, University Circle and the suburb of East Cleveland.[3]

There are 59 stations along Euclid Avenue that serve the HealthLine. All stations are equipped with a fare card vending machine, 24-hour lighting and an emergency phone. An illuminated text display informs passengers of expected arrival times. Between Public Square and East 107th Street, all stations have raised platforms that align with the floor of the rapid transit vehicle, easing boarding and alighting.[13]

Between Public Square and East 105th Street, Euclid Avenue has two "bus only" lanes close to the inner median which only allow HealthLine vehicles passage, reducing delays due to conflicts with general traffic during busy times. Complementing the HealthLine is a set of bike lanes on the outer edges of the stretch Euclid Avenue that connects Cleveland State University with Case Western Reserve University.[14]

As late as July 2010, the trip from East Cleveland to downtown during rush hour was more than 40 minutes – longer than the planned 33 minutes. This was due to traffic light timing and the 25 mph speed limit along most of the route. The speed limit was raised to 35 mph for buses and traffic light timing was adjusted further to combat this issue.[15][16]

Shortly after the line began service, signal priority was discontinued along portions of the line. The decision has been referred to as a form of BRT creep.[17]

The HealthLine operates out of the Hayden Garage, located behind the Stokes-Windermere station.

Bus fleet

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A HealthLine bus at the Adelbert Road bus stop

The HealthLine's original fleet consists of 21 articulated New Flyer DE60LFA vehicles, each with a seating capacity of 47 and able to accommodate 53 more standing up. The vehicles have two doors on each side and run on a diesel-electric hybrid motor system, producing 90% fewer carbon emissions than conventional diesel buses;[18][19] a Caterpillar C9 low-sulfur diesel engine generates electrical power to run smaller electric motors mounted on each of the wheels.[20] Each vehicle also has a GPS locator on board, which allowed automated traffic signals to give the HealthLine buses priority at busy intersections, until the feature was discontinued.

Sixteen CNG-powered New Flyer Xcelsior buses were added to the HealthLine fleet in 2021, commencing service in January 2022.[21]

Bus stops

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The RTA classifies its bus rapid transit stops as "curb stations" and "median stations". Median stations are located within the Euclid Avenue busway and can only be accessed using crosswalks. Median stations can utilize left- or right-side boarding, as buses have doors on both sides. Curb stations are more traditional bus stops where buses open their doors to the right curb of the street.

Schedule

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On weekdays, the HealthLine runs every 7-10 minutes from 6:10 am to 7:10 pm, and every 15-30 minutes outside that window. On weekends and holidays, it runs every 15 minutes from 4:40 am to 11:40 pm and every 30 minutes outside that window.[22]

Stations

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All stations are ADA-accessible Handicapped/disabled access

Station Platform style Doors opened Location Connections / Notes
Public Square/West Roadway curb left Downtown RTA Bus: 1, 3, 8, 9, 11, 14, 14A, 15, 19, 19A, 19B, 22, 25, 26, 26A, 39, 45, 51, 51A, 53, 53A, 55, 55B, 55C, 71, 77, 90, 251, B-Line Trolley
eastbound stop
Public Square/Tower City RTA Rapid Transit:      Red Line,      Blue Line,      Green Line,      Waterfront Line at Tower City station
RTA Bus: 1, 3, 8, 9, 11, 14, 14A, 15, 19, 19A, 19B, 22, 25, 26, 26A, 39, 45, 51, 51A, 53, 53A, 55, 55B, 55C, 71, 77, 90, 251, B-Line Trolley
Laketran: 10, 11, 12
METRO RTA: 61
PARTA: 100
SARTA: 4
eastbound stop
East 2nd Street median
East 6th Street
East 9th Street
East 14th Street
East 19th Street 2 median right METRO RTA: 61
East 24th Street
East 30th Street Central
East 36th Street
East 40th Street
East 51st Street
East 59th Street RTA Bus: 16
East 66th Street
East 71st Street
East 79th Street Fairfax RTA Bus: 2
East 83rd Street
East 89th Street
East 93rd Street RTA Bus: 48, 50
East 100th Street Sunday service only
METRO RTA: 61 (weekdays only)
East 105th Street University Circle RTA Bus: 10, 11
Easternmost stop on exclusive BRT right-of-way
Stokes/Stearns 2 curb RTA Bus: 9, 11, 50
Adelbert Road RTA Bus: 9
Cornell Road RTA Bus: 9
East 115th Street
East 118th Street
East 123rd Street
Lakeview Road East Cleveland
Delmont Avenue curb Westbound stop
Roxbury Road Eastbound stop
Emily Street Westbound stop
Garfield Road Eastbound stop
Superior Avenue 2 curb RTA Rapid Transit:      Red Line at Superior station
RTA Bus: 3, 40
Eddy Road curb Westbound stop
Wellesley Avenue Eastbound stop
Lakefront Road Westbound stop
Belmore Avenue Eastbound stop
Debra Ann Lane Westbound stop
Louis Stokes–Windermere Parking available RTA Rapid Transit:      Red Line (direct connection)
RTA Bus: 3, 7, 7A, 28, 28A, 31, 35, 37, 41, 41F
  • Public Square/West Roadway
    Public Square/West Roadway
  • Public Square/Tower City
    Public Square/Tower City
  • East 2nd Street
    East 2nd Street
  • East 6th Street
    East 6th Street
  • East 9th Street
    East 9th Street
  • East 66th Street
    East 66th Street
  • Adelbert Road
    Adelbert Road
  • Cornell Road
    Cornell Road
  • Louis Stokes Station at Windermere
    Louis Stokes Station at Windermere

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (24 October 2008). "HealthLine opens, pumping new life into Cleveland". Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  2. ^ Clinic, UH pay to name Euclid Corridor buses. The Plain Dealer. Retrieved on March 4, 2008.
  3. ^ a b "Where it goes" - [1]
  4. ^ "Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority". www.riderta.com. 11 March 2013. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
  5. ^ https://www.clevescene.com/news/clevelanders-for-public-transit-say-rta-healthline-is-falling-short-of-promise-45398550
  6. ^ "Albuquerque, NM Opens First USA Gold Standard BRT on Historic Route 66". Transport Matters. Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. November 27, 2017. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
  7. ^ "BRT Rankings". Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. 2020. Archived from the original on February 7, 2015. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
  8. ^ "Cleveland, Ohio, Euclid Avenue BRT" (PDF). Transportation Research Board. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
  9. ^ a b Report on Funding Levels and Allocations of Funds for Transit Major Capital Investments: Report of the Secretary of Transportation to the United States Congress Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 5309(m)(3) (formerly Section 3(j) of the Federal Transit Act). Federal Transit Administration. 1997. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
  10. ^ Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2003. United States Congress. p. 123. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
  11. ^ Euclid Corridor Transportation Project Before-and-After Study (2012) (PDF). Federal Transit Administration. 2012. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
  12. ^ "Clinic, UH pay to name Euclid Corridor buses". The Plain Dealer. 2008-02-28.
  13. ^ "What it is - Station" - [2]
  14. ^ Rapid Transit Vehicles - http://euclidtransit.org/rapid_transit_system/euclid_corridor_vehicles.asp Archived 2008-06-21 at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ McIntyre, Michael (17 July 2010). "Cleveland allows RTA buses to drive faster on Euclid Avenue". Cleveland Plain Dealer. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  16. ^ Farkas, Karen (6 July 2010). "HealthLine buses moving slower than expected on Euclid Avenue". Cleveland Plain Dealer Blog. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  17. ^ Ross, Benjamin. "Big Philanthropy Takes the Bus". Dissent Magazine. Dissent Magazine. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  18. ^ RTA HealthLine - [3]
  19. ^ "What it is - Vehicle" - [4]
  20. ^ Euclid Corridor Transportation Project - http://euclidtransit.org/rapid_transit_system/euclid_corridor_vehicles.asp Archived 2008-06-21 at the Wayback Machine
  21. ^ "Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority 6001-6016". CPTDB Wiki. Canadian Public Transit Discussion Board. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
  22. ^ "Schedule Effective April 21, 2013" - http://www.riderta.com/sites/default/files/schedule-pdfs/HealthLine.pdf
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