CLEVELAND -- The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) is building a new station on the Cleveland-Brook Park border, near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. This is RTA's highest ridership rail station west of Tower City. A ground-breaking ceremony was held April 9, 2015.
East side: The station's main entrance and large parking area opened on April 10, 2017. All bus transfers serve the east side, and an elevator connects the lobby to the platform. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Aug. 23, 2017.
West side: Work continues on the smaller parking lot. It remains closed to the public.
Overview
- Address: 18010 Brookpark Road
- Design: Work began in 2008 by Bialosky + Partners. It is now 100 percent complete. Approved by planning officials in Cleveland and Brook Park.
- Design cost: $1.2 million. Paid with federal stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
- Project budget: $16.5 million
- Construction estimate: $10.4 million
- Advertise for bids: Nov. 24, 2014-Jan. 8, 2015, Bid package 2014-181.
- Bid award: On March 24, 2015, Trustees approved resolution 2015-27, awarding the contract for $11.387 million to Mid-American Construction LLC of Cleveland. 80 percent of the cost will be covered by Federal funds. 20 percent of the contract is shared by 6 Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) firms.
- Construction: Work began on June 25, 2015. The main entrance opened on April 10, 2017.
- Station age: Built in 1969. It was 46 years old on April 20, 2015.
ADA upgrade for station
The reconstruction will be fully ADA compliant and include upgrades to the existing tunnel, new elevator core, rail platform, and passenger waiting areas. The design includes:
- Both the eastern and western entrances.
- New platform and canopies.
- A new tunnel under the existing freight railroad tracks, from the parking area to the entry building.
- Re-orientation of the parking area to increase pedestrian and parking safety.
- Landscaping and wider sidewalks throughout the site.
- Enhanced passenger waiting areas, both inside and outside the station.
- Additional lighting, security systems and cameras to enhance security.
- Use of green/sustainability design principles.
An important station in the RTA network
- Last station on the Red Line before Hopkins Airport.
- Serves southwest Cuyahoga County.
- Nearby connections to I-480 and I-71.
- Connects 4 bus routes to the Red Line.
- Abundant supply of 1,000+ parking spaces.
- About 1,400 customers board there daily — more than at any other Red Line station except Tower City.
History
April 20, 1969 -- The Brookpark Station opened as part of a four-mile extension of the heavy-rail Red Line to the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. The historic extension to Hopkins — the first direct rail connection between a center city and an airport in the Western Hemisphere — actually opened on Nov. 15, 1968, with national TV coverage. Work on the Brookpark Station had not been completed, so the Cleveland Transit System (CTS) opened the station about six months after the Red Line was completed.
2003 -- To meet requirements of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), RTA constructed a western entrance to the station. Work included additional parking and universal accessibility. A $946,000 contract was awarded to the Cold Harbor Building Co. of Chardon. One-third of the work was federally funded.
2005 -- RTA began to market the 15.5-acre site for development. Its proximity to Hopkins International Airport, Brookpark Road, I-71 and I-480 provide it with an excellent location. RTA officials want to incorporate the principles of transit-oriented development (TOD) to create a destination for transit riders, provide RTA customers with added conveniences, and expand the economy with jobs and investment.