HealthLine
Encyclopedia
The HealthLine is a bus rapid transit
line run by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
in Cleveland
, Ohio
, United States
. The line runs along Euclid Avenue from Public Square
in downtown Cleveland
to the Louis Stokes Station at Windermere
in East Cleveland
. It began operation on October 24, 2008.
By late 2009, ridership had expanded 47 percent compared to the former line running along the same route prior to the completion of the Euclid Corridor project and the creation of the HealthLine.
The HealthLine runs a fleet of 21 articulated
DE60LFA-BRT vehicles, manufactured by New Flyer Industries
, each with a seating capacity
of 47 and able to accommodate 53 more standing up. The vehicles run on a diesel-electric hybrid
motor system that produce 90% less emissions than regular buses. A low sulfur diesel engine generates electrical power to run smaller electric motors mounted on each of the wheels. Each vehicle also has a GPS locator on board, which allows automated traffic signals
to give the HealthLine buses priority at busy intersections, keeping them moving as much as possible. Three doors on each side of the vehicle make for fast and easy boarding and unboarding. However, as late as July 2010, the trip from East Cleveland to downtown during rush hour was more than 40 minutes – longer than the planned 33 minutes. This was due to traffic light timing and the 25 mph speed limit along most of the route. The speed limit was raised to 35 mph for buses and traffic light timing was adjusted further to combat this issue.
There are 59 stations along Euclid Avenue that serve the HealthLine. All stations are equipped with a fare card vending machine, 24-hour lighting, and an emergency phone. An illuminated text display informs passengers of expected arrival times. Between Public Square and East 107th Street, all stations have raised platforms that align with the floor of the rapid transit vehicle, making for very easy boarding and alighting.
in Downtown Cleveland
to Louis Stokes Station at Windermere
in East Cleveland
. It passes through the neighborhoods of Downtown
, Midtown, Fairfax, University Circle
, and the suburb of East Cleveland
.
Between Public Square
and East 105th Street, Euclid Avenue has two "bus only" lanes close to the inner median which only allow HealthLine vehicles passage. This keeps the buses from fighting regular traffic during busy times. Complementing the HealthLine is a set of bike lanes on the outer edges of the stretch Euclid Avenue that connects Cleveland State University
with Case Western Reserve University
.
times. The full set of arrival frequencies are:
Monday-Friday
Saturday/Sunday
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
line run by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority is the public transit agency for Cleveland, Ohio, United States, and the surrounding suburbs of Cuyahoga County. RTA is the largest transit agency in Ohio, providing over 44 million trips to residents and visitors of the Cleveland area in 2010...
in Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The line runs along Euclid Avenue from Public Square
Public Square
Public Square is the central plaza in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It takes up four city blocks; Superior Avenue and Ontario Street cross through it. Cleveland's three tallest buildings, Key Tower, 200 Public Square and the Terminal Tower, face the square...
in downtown Cleveland
Downtown Cleveland
Downtown Cleveland is the central business district of the City of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Reinvestment in the area in the mid-1990s spurred a rebirth that continues to this day, with over $2 billion in residential and commercial developments slated for the area over the next few years...
to the Louis Stokes Station at Windermere
Louis Stokes Station at Windermere
Louis Stokes Station at Windermere is a rapid transit station on the RTA Red Line in East Cleveland, Ohio, USA. It is located on the northwest side of Euclid Avenue between Bryn Mawr and Doan Roads...
in East Cleveland
East Cleveland, Ohio
East Cleveland is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, and is the first suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. The population was 17,843 at the 2010 census....
. It began operation on October 24, 2008.
By late 2009, ridership had expanded 47 percent compared to the former line running along the same route prior to the completion of the Euclid Corridor project and the creation of the HealthLine.
Vehicles and stations
Articulated bus
An articulated bus is an articulated vehicle used in public transportation. It is usually a single-deck design, and comprises two rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint...
DE60LFA-BRT vehicles, manufactured by New Flyer Industries
New Flyer Industries
New Flyer Industries Inc. is a bus manufacturer in North America, headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It also has factories in Crookston and St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA.-History:...
, each with a seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 47 and able to accommodate 53 more standing up. The vehicles run on a diesel-electric hybrid
Hybrid electric vehicle
A hybrid electric vehicle is a type of hybrid vehicle and electric vehicle which combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. The presence of the electric powertrain is intended to achieve either better fuel economy than a conventional...
motor system that produce 90% less emissions than regular buses. A low sulfur diesel engine generates electrical power to run smaller electric motors mounted on each of the wheels. Each vehicle also has a GPS locator on board, which allows automated traffic signals
Bus priority
Bus priority or transit signal priority is a name for various techniques to speed up bus public transport services at intersections with traffic signals amongst other methods. Trams and light rail vehicles can also be given priority...
to give the HealthLine buses priority at busy intersections, keeping them moving as much as possible. Three doors on each side of the vehicle make for fast and easy boarding and unboarding. However, as late as July 2010, the trip from East Cleveland to downtown during rush hour was more than 40 minutes – longer than the planned 33 minutes. This was due to traffic light timing and the 25 mph speed limit along most of the route. The speed limit was raised to 35 mph for buses and traffic light timing was adjusted further to combat this issue.
There are 59 stations along Euclid Avenue that serve the HealthLine. All stations are equipped with a fare card vending machine, 24-hour lighting, and an emergency phone. An illuminated text display informs passengers of expected arrival times. Between Public Square and East 107th Street, all stations have raised platforms that align with the floor of the rapid transit vehicle, making for very easy boarding and alighting.
Route
The HealthLine route travels 6.8 miles (10.9 km) along Euclid Avenue from Public SquarePublic Square
Public Square is the central plaza in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It takes up four city blocks; Superior Avenue and Ontario Street cross through it. Cleveland's three tallest buildings, Key Tower, 200 Public Square and the Terminal Tower, face the square...
in Downtown Cleveland
Downtown Cleveland
Downtown Cleveland is the central business district of the City of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Reinvestment in the area in the mid-1990s spurred a rebirth that continues to this day, with over $2 billion in residential and commercial developments slated for the area over the next few years...
to Louis Stokes Station at Windermere
Louis Stokes Station at Windermere
Louis Stokes Station at Windermere is a rapid transit station on the RTA Red Line in East Cleveland, Ohio, USA. It is located on the northwest side of Euclid Avenue between Bryn Mawr and Doan Roads...
in East Cleveland
East Cleveland, Ohio
East Cleveland is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, and is the first suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. The population was 17,843 at the 2010 census....
. It passes through the neighborhoods of Downtown
Downtown Cleveland
Downtown Cleveland is the central business district of the City of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Reinvestment in the area in the mid-1990s spurred a rebirth that continues to this day, with over $2 billion in residential and commercial developments slated for the area over the next few years...
, Midtown, Fairfax, University Circle
University Circle
University Circle, is a neighborhood located on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio. It is best known for its world-class cultural, educational and medical institutions, including the Cleveland Orchestra, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Museum of Art, Lakeview Cemetery, and University...
, and the suburb of East Cleveland
East Cleveland, Ohio
East Cleveland is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, and is the first suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. The population was 17,843 at the 2010 census....
.
Between Public Square
Public Square
Public Square is the central plaza in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It takes up four city blocks; Superior Avenue and Ontario Street cross through it. Cleveland's three tallest buildings, Key Tower, 200 Public Square and the Terminal Tower, face the square...
and East 105th Street, Euclid Avenue has two "bus only" lanes close to the inner median which only allow HealthLine vehicles passage. This keeps the buses from fighting regular traffic during busy times. Complementing the HealthLine is a set of bike lanes on the outer edges of the stretch Euclid Avenue that connects Cleveland State University
Cleveland State University
Cleveland State University is a public university located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. It was established in 1964 when the state of Ohio assumed control of Fenn College, and it absorbed the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1969...
with Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
.
Full Station Listing
- Public SquarePublic SquarePublic Square is the central plaza in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It takes up four city blocks; Superior Avenue and Ontario Street cross through it. Cleveland's three tallest buildings, Key Tower, 200 Public Square and the Terminal Tower, face the square...
- East 2nd Street/Cleveland ArcadeCleveland ArcadeThe Arcade in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, is a Victorian-era structure of two nine-story buildings, joined by a five-story arcade with a glass skylight spanning over 300 feet , along the four balconies....
- East 6th Street
- East 9th Street
- East 14th Street/Playhouse Square CenterPlayhouse Square CenterThe Playhouse Square Center, in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, is the second-largest theater complex in the United States . Constructed in a span of nineteen months in the early 1920s, the theaters were subsequently closed down, but were revived through a grass-roots effort...
- East 19th Street
- East 24th Street/Cleveland State UniversityCleveland State UniversityCleveland State University is a public university located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. It was established in 1964 when the state of Ohio assumed control of Fenn College, and it absorbed the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1969...
- East 30th Street
- East 36th Street
- East 40th Street
- East 51st Street/Agora TheatreAgora Theatre and BallroomThe Agora Theatre and Ballroom is a concert club located in Cleveland, Ohio. The Agora name was previously used by two other Cleveland venues in succession, the latter of which was destroyed by fire in 1984...
- East 59th Street
- East 66th Street/Dunham MuseumDunham TavernThe Dunham Tavern, located at 6709 Euclid Avenue, is the oldest building in Cleveland, Ohio. Rufus and Jane Pratt Dunham built their first home on the site in 1824, and the existing taproom was built in 1842. It is believed to be the first building constructed on Euclid Avenue east of East 55th...
- East 71st Street
- East 79th Street
- East 83rd Street/Cleveland Playhouse
- East 89th Street
- East 93rd Street/Cleveland ClinicCleveland ClinicThe Cleveland Clinic is a multispecialty academic medical center located in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The Cleveland Clinic is currently regarded as one of the top 4 hospitals in the United States as rated by U.S. News & World Report...
- East 100th Street
- East 105th Street
- Stokes Boulevard
- Adelbert Road/Cleveland Museum of ArtCleveland Museum of ArtThe Cleveland Museum of Art is an art museum situated in the Wade Park District, in the University Circle neighborhood on Cleveland's east side. Internationally renowned for its substantial holdings of Asian and Egyptian art, the museum houses a diverse permanent collection of more than 43,000...
/Cleveland Museum of Natural HistoryCleveland Museum of Natural HistoryThe Cleveland Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum located approximately five miles east of downtown Cleveland, Ohio in University Circle, a 550-acre concentration of educational, cultural and medical institutions...
/Cleveland Botanical Gardens - Cornell Road/Case Western Reserve UniversityCase Western Reserve UniversityCase Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
- East 115th Street/Little Italy
- East 118th Street
- East 123rd Street
- Lakeview Road
- Delmont Avenue-Roxbury Road
- Emily Street-Garfield Road
- Superior Avenue StationSuperior (RTA Rapid Transit station)Superior is a station on the RTA Red Line in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. It is located on Superior Avenue at the intersection of Emily Street, approximately 1½ blocks west of Euclid Avenue...
- Eddy Road-Wellesley Avenue/Huron Hospital
- Lakefront Road-Belmore Avenue
- Debra Ann Lane
- Louis Stokes Station at WindermereLouis Stokes Station at WindermereLouis Stokes Station at Windermere is a rapid transit station on the RTA Red Line in East Cleveland, Ohio, USA. It is located on the northwest side of Euclid Avenue between Bryn Mawr and Doan Roads...
Schedule
The HealthLine provides 24-hour service and comes as frequently as every five minutes during busy rush hourRush hour
A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute...
times. The full set of arrival frequencies are:
Monday-Friday
- 5:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m. — every 5 minutes
- 9:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m. — every 10 minutes
- 2:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m. — every 5 minutes
- 6:30 p.m.–11:00 p.m. — every 15 minutes
- 11:00 p.m.–5:00 a.m. — every 30 minutes
Saturday/Sunday
- 4:30 a.m.–11:00 p.m. — every 15 minutes
- 11:00 p.m.–4:30 a.m. — every 30 minutes