Proposed design for new University Circle station. Drawing courtesy of RTA.

The design of a new Red Line rail station at University Circle will be the topic of a community meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9 at the Cleveland Heights Community Center.

In October 2007, the RTA board of trustees awarded a contract to URS Corp. to design a new rapid transit station. The design process includes a detailed traffic study; land use and development plan; new design of the bus loop area; and a station entrance building and platform. RTA staff and the architectural design team have been working through the complicated tasks of building a rail station in a confined space, along a busy city street adjacent to active rail tracks.

The station is intended to be a signature piece of architecture serving as a gateway to University Circle, Cleveland and Cleveland Heights. The 1.25 million-dollar design process will end in spring 2010, with contracts awarded in the fall. The construction cost of the station is budgeted at $10 million and is projected to take about two years to complete.

The current University Circle station is an important transit hub in RTA’s network. Built in 1953, it is a primary transfer point on the East Side, with seven RTA bus lines serving the station, well as the free Circle Link service, operated by University Circle, Inc. The station’s proximity to Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals, Cleveland Heights and the University Circle institutions provides a constant stream of traffic, among the highest in the RTA system.

The architect’s presentation at the June 9 meeting will show how features of the proposed station will contribute to the existing environment. The new station may incorporate some or all of the following elements:

• Consolidation of bus loop and passenger areas to the north side of Cedar Hill/MLK
• Removal of the southern entrance and bus slip ramp
• Expansion of the pedestrian walkway from the rapid station to the bus station
• Signature architecture symbolizing the regional gateway of the station
• Station headhouse constructed to maximize glass and visibility of passengers
• Park-like plaza entrance, maximizing green space setting
• Public art
• Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) program
• Treatment of railroad underpasses

Cleveland Heights Mayor Edward J. Kelley, who is also vice president of the RTA board of trustees, urges residents to attend the June 9 meeting. Mayor Kelley noted that "the project is vital to our city. It’s appropriate for residents to view the proposed design and offer feedback. We all have the same goals . . . a world-class transit facility that is user-friendly for the residents and for people visiting the city."

Residents who are unable to attend the meeting can learn about the project at www.rideRTA.com. Residents are also encouraged to send comments regarding the proposed station to mfeke@gcrta.org, or write to Maribeth Feke at RTA, 1240 W. Sixth St., Cleveland, OH 44113.