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Which of these cities is better at economic development based on their transit investment? Which city has gotten a greater return on investment? Should Charlotte take cues from Cleveland or vice versa? Both of these cities made a major investment in their transit infrastructure, however, both did it in separate ways. Which city made the right choice?
Cleveland BRT Line
-9 Mile Line
-$5 billion in development around stations
-Cost to build $197 million
Charlotte Light Rail Line
-9.6 Mile Line
-$3 billion in development around stations
-Cost to build $522 million
I can't speak to Charlotte, but much of Cleveland's development has nothing to do with its BRT, especially in University Circle by the hospitals and Case Western. Some (most?) of the major projects were conceived, designed or begun years before gravel broke. Midtown is still relatively bleak with a few spots here and there despite the BRT going through it, and I have no idea if CSU's expansion is related to the project. Perhaps.
I'd say it's a piece of the puzzle and overall a good thing, especially since Euclid was just a complete wreck prior, but who really knows what the investment actually produced. I've been on the Healthline multiple times. It's a bus that drives in the middle lane. Nothing rapid about it. No controlled signals (which was promised). Not really a big deal.
They did it on the cheap and got what they paid for. Train was always optimal, but the city didn't have the population and economy to justify that kind of funding.
I can't speak to Charlotte, but much of Cleveland's development has nothing to do with its BRT, especially in University Circle by the hospitals and Case Western. Some (most?) of the major projects were conceived, designed or begun years before gravel broke. Midtown is still relatively bleak with a few spots here and there despite the BRT going through it, and I have no idea if CSU's expansion is related to the project. Perhaps.
I'd say it's a piece of the puzzle and overall a good thing, especially since Euclid was just a complete wreck prior, but who really knows what the investment actually produced. I've been on the Healthline multiple times. It's a bus that drives in the middle lane. Nothing rapid about it. No controlled signals (which was promised). Not really a big deal.
They did it on the cheap and got what they paid for. Train was always optimal, but the city didn't have the population and economy to justify that kind of funding.
Interesting, I didn't know that. Everything I have read links the investment to the BRT line. What makes you think that is false?
Interesting, I didn't know that. Everything I have read links the investment to the BRT line. What makes you think that is false?
It's mostly boosterism filled with grains of truths and half-truths. If you go to urbanohio.com or cleveland.com and rifle through the forums and articles, you'll see plenty of chicken and egg discussion there.
Additionally, there is a lot of controversy with the proposed BRT going down Ashland in Chicago, with concerns that because of changed traffic patterns, losing two car lanes, no left turns, etc, the businesses (and there are tons up north) along the already extremely busy street will take a massive hit.
Make no mistake, the Euclid Corridor has had a big impact. Look at Downtown from Public Square to CSU, the streetscaping that was done for the project has definitely had a positive impact on businesses. I also see positive changes happening in Midtown, where none were happening before. The Uptown Project in UC was not conceived before the project, and is directly related to it. I'd say the project has been a huge success, even if the Art Museum expansion, hospitals, and CSU expansions may have happened anyway. The street went from being a dilapidated traffic artery to an attractive amenity, and this has acted as a draw for businesses and residents, even if it hasn't completely taken off yet.
Which of these cities is better at economic development based on their transit investment? Which city has gotten a greater return on investment? Should Charlotte take cues from Cleveland or vice versa? Both of these cities made a major investment in their transit infrastructure, however, both did it in separate ways.
Your post is false from the start. Cleveland has rail (has had it for a long time by the way) then later built bus rapid transit. Charlotte is building rail now, then later Charlotte will be building bus rapid transit down Independence Blvd. The multi-mode transit system that Cleveland has in place is exactly what Charlotte is working towards. A better thread would be a BRT-only city (which Cleveland is NOT) vs a light rail-only city (which Charlotte is not).
The Uptown Project in UC was not conceived before the project, and is directly related to it.
Actually, that's not true. Here's a quote from Ari Maron, developer of Uptown, in a recent Cleveland Jewish News expose: “The trick is they’re all connected by the Red Line, the piece of transit infrastructure that connects the airport to the two largest employment centers in the region, downtown and University Circle,” Maron said. “We’ve purposefully concentrated on neighborhoods adjacent to the Red Line stops, believing that the future is walkable and transit-oriented communities.”
Yes, I know the OP compared Charlotte LRT to Cleveland BRT, but I'd also add that comparing Charlotte and Cleveland is a bit skewed because of the relative ages of the 2 transit systems: Cleveland's rapid transit system was started 100 years ago vs. 5 years ago for Charlotte's Lynx LRT. The original Shaker lines (now the Blue and Green Lines) sparked some of the greatest TOD in America: The Terminal Group (now expanding Tower City), Shaker Square, the unique shopping area with tons of apartments (this area was farm land when the Rapid was built, ... and of course, upscale, model commuter suburb: Shaker Heights.
Charlotte’s doing some nice things, transit wise, but it has quite a ways to go to match Cleveland… And as for BRT, once again, I think the TOD allegedly sparked by the Health Line is a tad overblown… even though I love the Health Line.
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