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Riders Call for City Council to Open Public Square Immediately
Zack Reed’s proposal is not the solution
Recently we were notified that Cleveland City Councilman Zack Reed plans to introduce legislation proposing that the City of Cleveland be restricted from paying $12 million to the Federal Transit Administration, due to Mayor Jackson’s closure of Public Square.
We share Councilman Reed’s concern that the public should not be “on the hook for something they did not make a decision for”. The solution is for Cleveland City Council to take legislative action and open Public Square. This would pull Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority out of breach of a 2004 federal agreement for the HealthLine project, including the creation of a “Downtown Transit Zone”.
City Council never approved of alterations to the Downtown Transit Zone, or its dedicated transit lanes on Superior Avenue through Public Square, as required by the terms between the City of Cleveland and RTA, and as codified in Ordinance 893-03.
Article 11 states “the provisions of this Agreement may be modified or amended only after receipt of legislative authorization of Cleveland City Council and the GCRTA Board of Trustees consenting to such modification or amendment and in conformity with the Charter of the CITY and the bylaws of GCRTA.”
The permanent closure announced by Mayor Jackson in November was out of order, and undermines City Council’s authority.
If Mayor Jackson does not open the dedicated transit lanes on Superior Avenue through Public Square by January 9, 2016 as RTA has requested, we urge City Council to immediately assert their legislative authority to restore transit access to Public Square.
If Public Square stays closed, the public will still have to repay $12 million to the FTA. If not the city, the public of Cuyahoga County that fund GCRTA. Neither the County’s taxpayers nor Clevelanders should be held responsible for Mayor Jackson’s decision. Cleveland City Council can, and should act to open Public Square immediately.
We encourage riders to attend the next City Council meeting Monday, January 9th at 6:30pm.
Riders should contact their City Council Representative citing Ordinance No. 893-03 to reopen Public Square immediately.
More information about Public Square can be found here.