RTA fails to hold public hearing on cuts to Madison #25 bus in Cleveland

To the editor: (Plain Press, March 2010) RTA has violated the U.S. Department of Transportation requirement to hold a public hearing on a sudden new proposed bus route elimination by RTA failing to hold any public hearing on its plan to eliminate the # 25 Madison Avenue bus running between downtown and the intersection of West 117th Street and Madison. In response to an email inquiry I made to RTA, I received a reply from RTA stating two changes would occur in the #25 Madison Line: “1). “#25 will be discontinued between W. 117th and downtown due to its close proximity to other stronger routes (e.g., #22 & #26) 2. Evening and weekend service will be discontinued.”

LETTER

As you may know, RTA held public hearings a few weeks ago on its planned bus cuts for April 4. But at that time RTA announced to the public that it planned to continue running the #25 bus from downtown Cleveland to West117th Street and Madison, but no longer enter Lakewood. Eliminating it between downtown and West 117th Street was not on the table, and was not part of RTA's proposal for that route. So the public could not comment on eliminating it between downtown and West 117th Street, because RTA claimed it was not proposing to eliminate that several mile long segment of the route.

Now, after those public hearings ended, RTA states it has reversed itself and now plans to keep the #25 in Lakewood, but no longer run it from downtown to West 117th Street. But the proposal by RTA at the public hearings was to discontinue the #25 in Lakewood, which it accepted public comments about, while keeping the route in Cleveland, between West 117th Street and downtown. RTA never held a public hearing anywhere about, nor solicited public comment about stopping the Cleveland segment of the # 25 bus route. The hearings were only about eliminating the Lakewood segment of it. This is a violation of United States Department of Transportation requirements to hold a public hearing and solicit public comments about eliminating the # 25 bus in Cleveland. RTA only did that about eliminating it in Lakewood.

This route cut presents a hardship for myself, and others in Cleveland. It's a 15-minute walk from Madison to the 26 or 22 buses. Not good in bad weather. A lot of people in Cleveland live on Madison, and use that # 25 bus to go to and from our jobs at Lutheran Hospital. How about at least running the #25 bus on mornings around 8 a.m. and also around 5 p.m., such as 5 and 5:30 p.m. to go back home? Some RTA buses just run weekdays those times to get people to and from work. So why not at least do that for the 25 Madison bus customers? You are keeping it for Lakewood, but not for Clevelanders. That is not fair. Those Lakewood people can take the 26 and 22 too, so why let them keep the 25 bus, yet you take it away from the Cleveland residents?

#25 Madison Bus Rider

Name Withheld Upon Request

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