CLEVELAND — The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration has announced that the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) will receive $16 million in federal funding to improve accessibility
The money will go toward rehabilitating eight stations to make the entire Blue Line accessible for people with disabilities.
Cleveland was one of eight transit systems that received a total of $343 million in federal funding, coming from President Biden's bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which was awarded a grant from the All Stations Accessibility Program.
“As a daily Paratransit customer for over 18 years, I want to thank Senator Brown for his leadership and ongoing efforts in improving public transportation and supporting our ADA community,” said GCRTA's immediate past President and current Board Trustee, Rev. Charles P. Lucas, Pastor Emeritus, St. James AME Church. “Paratransit is a lifeline for many people with disabilities and for seniors, it keeps us independent and involved in the community.”
In addition, the project is also expected to create more "good-paying jobs" in Cleveland.
“We are not only modernizing our nation’s infrastructure, we are doing so in a way that makes it more accessible for older Americans, people with disabilities, and all transit users,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “This initiative, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is retrofitting old rail stations with elevators, ramps, and more, to make sure that our public transportation is more accessible for millions of Americans going about their daily lives.”
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, more than 900 transit legacy stations nationwide are currently not fully accessible.
Station upgrades in Cleveland will include the following:
- Replacing the 40-year-old platforms with new concrete platforms with tactile warning panels
- Installing redesigned ramps
- Elevating a platform section to access trains
- Improving parking stalls with curb ramps to access the stations
“Since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, great strides have been made in improving accessibility, but there is still a lot of work to accomplish,” said FTA Acting Administrator Veronica Vanterpool. “By modernizing rail systems across the country, the ASAP program provides funding to address these overdue improvements. We want to ensure that all customers can use transit systems with ease and reliability, including people with disabilities, those using mobility devices, and other users needing more accessible spaces.”
Ohio Congresswoman Shontel Brown, who submitted a letter of support on behalf of the project in January, released the following statement after the announcement:
"The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to deliver for Northeast Ohio. I was proud to vote for the legislation that made this grant possible and directly champion this worthwhile project with a letter of support. Public transit is an essential service, and that service needs to be accessible for all. Congratulations and thank you to GCRTA for its commitment to increasing accessibility on the Blue Line."
Ohio U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown also reacted to the news:
"The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is investing in Ohio communities to improve transportation and support Ohio workers. We fought to secure this investment to create jobs and to connect people with jobs – saving them time and money. Improving the accessibility of these rail stations will improve transit options for riders with disabilities and create opportunity for everyone."
