Free RTA parking & long-term parking; using RTA to get to Hopkins (Cleveland: loans) - Ohio (OH) - City-Data Forum

WRnative · 03-14-2018, 04:50 AM

I wonder how many persons take advantage of the free long-term parking at RTA park-n-rides? Up to five days is allowed at designated spots at Red Line stations. Does anybody know if the long-term spots at the Blue/Green lines (up to 3 days) are regularly full? I think these would be ideal for overnight business trips by way of Cleveland Hopkins.

Free parking for 8,000 vehicles | Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority

Of course, for longer trips, somebody could just be dropped off at, or take Uber or Lyft to, an RTA station if they can hand-carry their luggage. Obviously bus and rail rapids where no steps are involved in boarding would be most convenient. My impression is that individuals hitch rides all the way to Hopkins rather than to RTA stations. Am I wrong?

Anyway, the above link is a great guide to RTA free parking options. On weekends or evenings, when many of these park-n-rides are not full, RTA provides a good option for visiting downtown or University Circle and avoiding parking fees (with the trade-off of avoiding RTA fees, which are minimal for seniors). RTA delivers riders much closer to major venues (such as Progressive Field and Quicken Loans Arena, especially given the pedestrian walkway from Tower City to the Q) than afforded by cheaper downtown parking areas, such as on Prospect Ave. south of Playhouse Square.

Additionally, if day passes are purchased, riders can go among many Cleveland neighborhoods, such as both downtown and Tremont using a bus transfer, in a single day. Given the paucity of parking in places such as Little Italy and Tremont, this isn't a minor consideration. Soon as well, if not already (the toll system was in place but not activated when I last visited the West Side Market on a Sunday a few weeks ago; perhaps parking will remain free on Sundays?), parking fees will be charged at the West Side Market lot in Ohio City.

ferraris · 03-14-2018, 11:44 AM

The long term spots on the Blue Line along Van Aken are definitely not regularly full. Just make sure you get in an actual 72 hour spot and not one of the regular park and ride spots.

TheProf · 03-14-2018, 10:28 PM

The large Green Road Rapid parking lot also has a number of 72-hour spots. Sometimes they are empty...sometimes, not.

WRnative · 03-15-2018, 06:24 AM

Reading about long-term parking at the RTA link above, it appears that someone using the long-term spaces must call and register their car.

Is this accurate? Has anybody ever done this? When do you call (can you call a day ahead of time)? Do they tow cars if they have no record of a call?

ferraris · 03-15-2018, 09:51 AM

The signs do say to call. I've parked in them a few times overnight and did not call and did not get towed. No guarantees, but it seems pretty unenforced, at least along the Blue Line. Maybe the larger lots are patrolled more.

WRnative · 03-15-2018, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ferraris

The signs do say to call. I've parked in them a few times overnight and did not call and did not get towed. No guarantees, but it seems pretty unenforced, at least along the Blue Line. Maybe the larger lots are patrolled more.

Thanks.

mbowes80 · 03-16-2018, 05:57 PM

I had a friend call once before parking for several days at Puritas station ... they basically just told him to park in the appropriate spaces and not worry about it. This was October 2017.

WRnative · 03-16-2018, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbowes80

I had a friend call once before parking for several days at Puritas station ... they basically just told him to park in the appropriate spaces and not worry about it. This was October 2017.

I wonder if you can get away with more than the specified number of days....

nrheasley · 04-14-2018, 08:30 PM

I plan to do this my next trip. It was actually an airport shuttle driver who suggested it to me.

mbowes80 · 04-15-2018, 09:19 AM

Last week I parked at Brookpark Station for 6 days while out of town for work. A few observations:
- there was only one open space when I got there Thursday morning (out of the what looked like 10 or 20 total)
- the number of days is apparently not strictly enforced (marked as 5) unless you are there for weeks or months
- getting from there to the airport is, of course, extremely easy

So while this seems like a boon (and is,) I suspect the secret is getting out a bit ... if you aim for one of these lots before a flight, make sure you have a backup plan.