Shaker Square (RTA Rapid Transit station)

Infobox Station
name=Shaker Square
type=RTA light rail station


image_size=
image_caption=
address=13051 Shaker Boulevard
Cleveland, Ohio 44120
coordinates=coord|41|29|2|N|81|35|30|W|type:railwaystation_region:US-OH|display=inline,title
line=rail color box|system=GCRTA|line=Greenrail color box|system=GCRTA|line=Blue
other=Bus # 12 (Woodland)
Bus # 13 (Buckeye)
Bus # 48 (University Circle–East 131)
Bus # 48A (University Circle–East 131)
structure=At-grade
platform=Side platforms
tracks=
parking=
bicycle=
baggage_check=
passengers=
pass_year=
pass_percent=
pass_system=
opened=April 11, 1920
closed=
rebuilt=July 1986
September 20, 2006
ADA=Since renovation of the station in 2006, the station is accessible by means of wheelchair lifts located on both sides of the tracks.
code=
owned=Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
zone=
former=
services=
mpassengers=
Shaker Square Station is a station on the RTA Blue and Green Lines in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. It is first station west of the junction of the Blue and Green Lines and thus serves as a transfer point between the two lines.

The station is at street level on the western side of Shaker Square. It marks the dividing point between the line's grade-separated portion and its at-grade portion, with trains running on a grade separated right-of-way west of this station to Tower City and running at-grade along the medians of boulevards east of this station.

Fares are collected on the train for passengers leaving the train westbound or boarding the train eastbound.

Notable places nearby

* Shaker Square—historic shopping center featuring restaurants and retail outlets.

History

On April 11, 1920, the predecessor of what is now the Blue Line began operation through Moreland Circle, then an empty traffic circle.cite book
last = Toman
first = James
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = The Shaker Heights Rapid Transit
publisher = Interurban Press
date = 1990
location = Glendale, Cal.
pages = p. 22
url =
doi =
isbn = 0-916374-95-5 ] The junction between the Shaker Boulevard line and the line along Van Aken (then named South Moreland) Boulevard was in the middle of Moreland Circle, Thus, the station stop was located on the western end of the circle.

Development of Moreland Circle into Shaker Square began 1927, when construction started on the planned suburban shopping center. The circle was transformed into more of a square (actually an octagon), [cite encyclopedia
last = Van Tassel
first = David D., ed.
authorlink =
coauthors = John J. Grabowski, ed.
encyclopedia = The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History
title = Shaker Square
publisher = Indiana University Press
date = 1996
edition = 2nd ed.
location = Bloomington
pages =
url = http://ech.case.edu/ech-cgi/article.pl?id=SS2
accessdate = 2007-02-07
doi =
id = ISBN 0-253-33056-4 ] and the rail junction was moved about one-quarter mile to the east. Conductors on the train were instructed to begin call the stop “Shaker Square” as of August 29, 1928. [Toman. p. 31.] The Shaker Square development was completed in 1929, but no provision was made for an extensive station facility at the location. The station consisted of small wooden shelters on the western side of the square.

In 1949 Rapid Transit officials proposed replacing the shelters with a combination three-story passenger station and retail complex to straddle the tracks at the western end of Shaker Square. However, Shaker Square merchants opposed the plan, and proposed an alternative smaller station, which was eventually built and opened in October 1952. The wooden shelters were replaced by a coffee shop with an adjoining sheltered passenger platform along the westbound side, and a concrete and steel waiting area along the eastbound side. [Toman. pp. 79–81.]

This station lasted until 1984 when a new station was proposed. The result was two brick and glass pavilions designed in a Georgian style to match the existing architecture of the Shaker Square buildings that surround them. The old coffee shop was retained, but a new exterior was built around it. Designed by Cleveland architect William Gould, the new station opened in July 1986. It won design awards from both Cleveland and Ohio architectural societies. [Toman. p. 120.]

A proposal to rent the coffee shop space for a McDonald's restaurant in 1996 met stiff opposition and was eventually abandoned. [cite news
last = McIntyre
first = Michael K.
coauthors =
title = RTA's Big Mac attack runs into flak
work =
pages = 1B
language =
publisher = The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer
date = August 14, 1995
url = http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CPDB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F8084F823DD6D80&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated4&req_dat=0D1C2ED46ABD2E15
accessdate = 2007-02-27 ] [cite news
last = Zapinski
first = Ken
coauthors =
title = RTA rejects burger chain's bid; critics argued McDonald's outlet would ruin Shaker Square atmosphere
work =
pages = 1B
language =
publisher = The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer
date = February 21, 1996
url = http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CPDB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F808C7B33315586&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated4&req_dat=0D1C2ED46ABD2E15
accessdate = 2007-02-27 ]

Further changes were made to the 1986 design as a result of the overall upgrade of the Shaker Square right-of-way in 2006. The station buildings were enlarged, and wheelchair lifts were provided to provide car boarding accessibility. The new station was opened on September 20, 2006. [cite press release
title = Two RTA projects to increase quality of life on historic Shaker Square
publisher = Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
date = September 20, 2006
url = http://www.riderta.com/nu_newsroom_releases.asp?listingid=947
accessdate = 2007-02-27 ]

References