Why RTA won't budge on W. 25th Street bus lanes
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority is moving forward with plans for dedicated bus lanes on West 25th Street despite vocal opposition from some Ohio City business owners worried about the loss of on-street parking.
Why it matters: The contested stretch of West 25th, near the West Side Market, is the most congested section of one of RTA's busiest corridors.
- Improving the pedestrian and transit experience along it is a major factor in securing $20 million in federal transit funding.
The big picture: RTA's $52 million MetroHealth Line Bus Rapid Transit project would redesign nearly 4 miles of West 25th Street from Old Brooklyn to Ohio City.
- Roughly 1.7 million bus passengers use the corridor annually.
- Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2027.
Friction point: The plan removes about 55 on-street parking spaces near the Market District to make room for bus-only lanes.
What they're saying: RTA deputy general manager Michael Schipper said at a board meeting last week the bus lanes won't dramatically cut trip times, but they will dramatically improve reliability, which matters more for riders.
- The half-mile Market District stretch is the corridor's "pinch point," accounting for roughly half of all delays, he said.
Also: Supporters note the ample availability of parking in the city-owned lots behind the market.
The other side: A coalition of Ohio City business owners argues the loss of street parking could hurt foot traffic and limit accessibility for ride-share and delivery vehicles.
- They've asked RTA to start the bus lanes south of Monroe Avenue and even threatened a "nuclear option" in which they'd ask U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno to block federal funding for the project.
Yes, but: Schipper says starting the bus lanes south of the most congested portion of the street would reduce reliability benefits by at least 50% and weaken RTA's bid for the $20.5 million Federal Transit Administration grant.
💠Sam's thought bubble: Multiple elements of the controversy remind me of the Public Square debate of 2016-2017.
- It's not just that the dedicated bus lanes will improve travel time and reliability for bus riders while adding safety features for pedestrians. It's that the federal funding hinges on these improvements.
- Many supporters of closing Public Square to buses a decade ago did not realize that doing so jeopardized $12 million in FTA funding.