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Photo By Melissa Miller
Work on the Euclid Corridor project is under way near East 21st Street on Euclid Avenue.

Road project cuts parking, affects students

By Melissa Miller

The $168-million Euclid Corridor project, which is under way, is slated for completion by the end of 2008.
Until then, commuters on Euclid Avenue will have to deal with a few bumps in the road due to decreased parking meters, narrowing of the road from four lanes to two, and continuous construction.
The overall vision is a transit efficient, tree-lined corridor that is pedestrian and bike safe, and pollution free.
The new environment will reestablish the beauty of the cultural and historical sites along Euclid Avenue.
Meanwhile, parking meters on Euclid Avenue and some on East 18th Street near the law building will be eliminated.
However, some meters will be restored.
Despite losing the meters, The East Parking Garage by the recreation center will provide 400 new spaces for parking in November.
Also the surface lot in front of Fenn Tower will reopen.

Move-in dates extended
Losing road space will affect about 900 students moving into Fenn Tower and Viking Hall in fall.
To help alleviate challenges returning students may face, CSU will extend the move-in time by at least one day.
Extended service
At present, students traveling on the E-Line trolley can find transportation from CSU to Public Square and the Warehouse District until 7:00 p.m. RTA and CSU collaborated to extend the service until 11:00 p.m. Monday through Friday starting in August.
“This should assist student traveling at night,” said Jack Boil, vice president for Business at CSU.
This will be a permanent change until the completion of the Silver Line in 2008, with buses running every 12 minutes. The No. 6 bus will be named the Euclid Corridor Silver line, which will run through the heart of the campus.
Boil said, “Continuous travel on the Silver Line will make it easy for commuters and resident students to get around the city.”
Despite construction, East and West bound buses will operate along Euclid Avenue. Right now, crews work on the north side of the street and provide travel on the south. Later the crews will shift the work to the south and allow traffic to the north.
“We do everything possible to keep riders informed and up to date,” said RTA’s Media Relations Manager Jerry Masek.
If construction interferes with a bus’ normal stop, then a marker will be posted to let riders know where they can find a temporary stop. All temporary stops will be as close as possible to the original stop. “We are trying to minimize inconveniences due to construction,” Masek assures travelers.
In 2008, riders can look forward to traveling on an aerodynamic 62-foot bus called the Euclid Corridor Vehicle (ECV). The ECV will be both environmentally friendly and noise free.
Upon completion, riders along the RTA’s Silver Line will decrease travel times between, home, school, work, and the city. The line will connect the Central Business District (CBD), University Circle, Medical, educational, and cultural districts.
Boil said, “It’s exciting for us to have our front door and main access to the campus rejuvenated. We re hopeful that it will result in the development between our campus and the clinic.”
Three years ago there were major parking problems on campus. Students with U-passes can ride the E-Line for free. Since the U-pass was offered in September of 2005 more than 4,000 students have bought passes.
The Ohio Historical Preservation Office (OHPO) surveyed 500 buildings along the corridor’s construction. The Mather Mansion, home to development and public relations, and the Howe Mansion, future home to the graduate college, are two historical structures that the OHPO evaluated, identified, and vowed to protect.
Besides, preserving historical building new artwork will enhance the corridor.
A Public Art Master Plan plans to promote graphically appropriate artwork along the project that is symbolic to the city.The quality and flexibility of the new line will benefit students, employees, and staff traveling to CSU. With easy access to the city students can evolve both academically and culturally and truly make the city their campus.

Tips to make your travel easier:
* Use RTA’s automated trip planner to get accurate directions for traveling from point A to B.
* Visit RideRTA.com for information on transit, construction, and bus lines.
* Visit Euclidtransit.org for important reroute information.
* Call the RTA answer line at (216) 621-9500.
* Pick up a copy of Riders Digest located in the front and back of all buses.
“If people read Riders Digest more often, it would cut down on the calls to the office. Most information callers need is already in the packet,” Masek said.

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