CLEVELAND — RTA Trolleys are decked out and ready for All-Star week in Cleveland, sporting the faces of some of the likely players, the transit system as a whole is also prepared to offer baseball fans the best option for the trip in and out of downtown during the festivities July 5-9.
"All of our rail systems everything is aligned to be able to get you quickly and easily to Tower City," RTA Spokesperson Linda Krecic said. "Quick walk to Progressive Field for the game, quick walk to the Convention Center and any other areas around downtown where there's all of those events planned on those days prior to the game."
Krecic said with all of the traffic, detours and crowds, many people might not want to bring their car downtown.
"Parking's at a premium, roads are closed, there's re-routes I mean today we even heard the hotels are sold out. It's going to be busy downtown and it's going to be congested and you don't want to have your car as a burden to you," Krecic said. "We'd like you to park for free at any of our rail stations, leave your car behind and then you can easily get downtown on the rapid and make your way throughout the city."
Expect a minor detour during your trip on the Red Line due to an emergency construction project on a retaining wall along a small section of the west side Red Line. From June 30 - July 13, Red Line trains will be replaced with 66R buses between W. 117 and West Blvd. Customers may ride the Red Line between the Airport and W. 117, then transfer to a special 66R bus inside the bus loop of the West 117th St. station. Then customers will transfer back to a train at the West Blvd. Station to travel to Tower City and to points east.
"There will be supervisors standing by, show you where the bus is and that bus will take you right to West Boulevard, takes about a minute down a couple of blocks, and then pick up the train again and go right into Tower City," Krecic said. "It's about a minute or two delay, it's unfortunate but for safety reasons we have to shut that section of the rail."
RTA will have extra trains at peak service times and will even provide a late night benefit without even planning for it.
"Our service, people may not know, it actually starts at 3 a.m.," Krecic said. "I know bars are open until 4 a.m. so we have you covered both ways. If you happen to be getting home at 4 in the morning there's actually a train that will get you home at that early hour."
