Nov 15, 2018
On Thursday, November 15, RTA celebrated 50 years of direct service on the Red Line between Downtown Cleveland and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. An event was held to commemorate this occasion at the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Art Gallery at the Airport, located just outside the Red Line station. We heard how the Red Line has impacted the Greater Cleveland area and the Cleveland experience from Joe Roman of Greater Cleveland Partnership and Airport Director, Robert Kennedy, as well as RTA’s interim CEO and General Manager, Dr. Floun’say Caver. In addition, a Red Line train broke through a ceremonial banner to mark 50 years of service!
Additionally, the winners of the Iceland Sweepstakes were announced. We would like to congratulate Tony and Trudy Lane of Westlake. They are diehard Cleveland Fans! The Lanes have 3 grown boys Rick, Joseph and Anthony, 2 beautiful grandchildren Adelina and Ricky. He is a Firefighter with the North Olmsted Fire Department soon to be retired and Trudy is a Nurse. They plan on using this trip as a retirement celebration! Congratulations!
Some history on the Red Line:
When the final extension was completed, Cleveland became the first metropolitan area in the Western Hemisphere to have a direct rapid transit connection between its central business district and an international airport. It wasn’t Boston, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles or even Washington DC, but Cleveland, Ohio. The Red Line began operations in the 1950’s, and progressively extended service west until November 1968 when the final segment connecting the West 150th Street Station with Hopkins Airport was completed.
Today, the Red Line is still running strong. It provides a direct line to the airport 20 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, with trains departing every 15 minutes—which adds up to nearly one hundred daily arrivals and departures.
By taking advantage of the Red Line, customers can:
• Avoid daily fees by parking for free at one of our many lots
• Dodge traffic, and all the stress that comes with it
• Evade inclement weather, as the Rapid drops you off inside the airport terminal.
• Travel from the Tower City Station to the terminal in about 25 minutes
Regardless of where you live—west side, east side, or downtown—the Red Line is the perfect connection to your next flight. Because whether you’re travelling for business or pleasure, the Rapid will always deliver a first-class experience.
