View source for Waterfront Line

{{Short description|Light rail line of the RTA Rapid Transit system}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox rail line
| name                            = Waterfront Line
| color                           = {{rcr|RTA Rapid Transit|Blue}}
| color2                          = {{rcr|RTA Rapid Transit|Green}}
| image                           = RTA Green Line train.png
| image_width                     = 300px
| caption                         = A Waterfront Line train approaching [[Settlers Landing station|Settlers Landing]]
| type                            = [[Light rail]]/[[Tram]]
| system                          = [[RTA Rapid Transit]]
| status                          = 
| locale                          = [[Cleveland, Ohio|Cleveland]], [[Cuyahoga County, Ohio|Cuyahoga County]], [[Ohio]]
| start                           = [[South Harbor station|South Harbor]]
| end                             = [[Tower City station|Tower City]]
| stations                        = 7
| open                            = July 10, 1996<ref name="rta history">{{cite web |url=http://www.riderta.com/history |title=History of public transit in Greater Cleveland |date=2012 |publisher=[[Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority]] |accessdate=April 12, 2015 |location=[[Cleveland]], Ohio}}</ref>
| close                           = October 26, 2020<ref>{{cite web |title=Waterfront Line Construction |url=http://www.riderta.com/service-alerts/waterfront-line-construction |website=Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority |date=15 June 2021 |access-date=31 March 2022}}</ref><ref name="cleveland_com">{{cite web |last1=Astolfi |first1=Courtney |title=RTA Waterfront Line service to be suspended until spring 2021 |url=https://www.cleveland.com/news/2020/10/rta-waterfront-line-service-to-be-suspended-until-spring-2021.html |website=Cleveland.com |date=21 October 2020 |access-date=31 March 2022}}</ref>
| reopen                          = September 10, 2023<ref>{{cite web |title=Waterfront Line Reopens For 2023 Browns Season|url=https://www.riderta.com/blogs/waterfront-line-reopens-2023-browns-season |website=Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority |date=18 September 2023 |access-date=20 September 2023}}</ref>
| speed                           = 
| elevation                       = <!-- highest -->
| map                             = {{switcher
|{{maplink-road|from=Waterfront Line.map}} Waterfront Line highlighted in blue-green <hr>
|Show interactive map
|{{Waterfront Line}}
|Show diagram map
}}
}}

The '''Waterfront Line''' is a [[light rail]] line of the [[RTA Rapid Transit]] system in [[Cleveland]], [[Ohio]], running from [[Tower City station|Tower City Center]] downtown, then north and northeast to {{stn|South Harbor}} station, adjacent to the Cleveland Municipal Parking Lot. The Waterfront Line is the newest rail line in Cleveland, having opened in 1996. The 2.2 mile (3.5 km) line is unique in that it is an extension of the [[Blue Line (RTA Rapid Transit)|Blue]] and [[Green Line (RTA Rapid Transit)|Green]] lines, but has its own naming designation. All RTA light rail lines use [[overhead lines]] and [[pantograph (rail)|pantographs]] to draw power. Due to safety concerns, the line was closed from 2021-2023, but has since been re-opened, providing service on weekends, holidays, and for special events.

==History==
The line opened on July 10, 1996, coinciding with Cleveland's bicentennial celebration which took place later in the year.<ref name=history>{{cite web |url=http://www.riderta.com/routes/waterfrontline/about |title=How the Waterfront Line was constructed |publisher=Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority |date=December 22, 2016 |accessdate=May 29, 2020}}</ref> The line had a total cost of $70.9 million and was funded by a combination of bonds, grant money from the [[Ohio Department of Transportation]], and local RTA funding.<ref name=history/> Service on the Waterfront Line was suspended indefinitely in 2021, after previously being suspended in October 2020.<ref>{{cite web |title=Waterfront Line Construction |url=http://www.riderta.com/service-alerts/waterfront-line-construction |website=Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority |date=15 June 2021 |access-date=31 March 2022}}</ref><ref name="cleveland_com" /> Plans called for opening in time for the 2023 [[Cleveland Browns]] season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=RTA |first=Greater Cleveland |date=2022-08-16 |title=RTA Waterfront Line Bridge Update |url=https://www.riderta.com/news/WaterfrontLineBridge |access-date=2022-09-02 |website=www.riderta.com |language=en}}</ref> On September 10, 2023, rail service resumed on the Waterfront Line.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Waterfront Line Reopens for 2023 Browns Season {{!}} rideRTA.com |url=https://www.riderta.com/blogs/waterfront-line-reopens-2023-browns-season |access-date=2023-10-04 |website=www.riderta.com}}</ref>

== Route description ==
From South Harbor, the lines extends generally west-southwest adjacent to the former [[New York Central Railroad]] tracks, now owned by [[Norfolk Southern]]. Notable destinations along the line include the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] and [[Cleveland Browns Stadium]]. Trains will stop at [[Amtrak]]'s [[Cleveland Lakefront Station]] upon request.

The line continues along an elevated loop, allowing it to turn from west-southwest to south-southeast, cross over the Norfolk Southern tracks and travel along the east bank of [[The Flats]]. The route passes through three grade crossings.

The line then turns east and climbs up from The Flats in two cuts on either side of the [[Red Line (RTA Rapid Transit)|Red Line]]. It merges onto the Red Line tracks and travels through {{stn|Tower City}}. Through service between the Waterfront Line and the Blue and Green Lines is provided at Tower City.

From April 2010 through May 2013, RTA completely eliminated weekday regularly scheduled Waterfront Line service due to low ridership and trains ran on the line only on weekends and for special events. Though seven-day-a-week service on the line was restored, a number of trains continue to use Tower City as a western terminus.

Tower City is the major station on all RTA Rapid Transit lines. It is the main station serving downtown Cleveland and it provides a convenient transfer point between the Red Line and the Blue and Green Lines.

==Service==
[[File:North coast station turnstiles.png|thumb|275px|[[East 9th–North Coast station]] turnstiles in 2017]]
The Waterfront Line has been closed since September of 2021 due to safety concerns regarding a bridge near the East Bank of the Flats. As of August 2024, the line provides service on weekends and holidays, and for some special events.

===Rail replacement bus===
During rail shutdowns, RTA uses replacement buses signed as route 67R. These shuttle buses run between Tower City and South Harbor on surface streets.

==Stations==
[[File:Settlers Landing Cleveland RTA station 1.jpg|thumb|Platform at Settlers Landing]]
[[File:CLE Amtrak (2018).jpg|thumb|Riders may use the flag stop at [[Cleveland Lakefront Station]], but [[Amtrak]] trains arrive in the middle of the night]]All stations are located within [[Downtown Cleveland]].
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Station<ref name="schedule">{{cite web |url=http://www.riderta.com/sites/default/files/schedule-pdfs/BlueGreenWaterfrontLine.pdf |title=Green Line (Shaker)&nbsp;/ Blue Line (Van Aken) |date=December 15, 2013 |publisher=[[Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority]] |accessdate=April 11, 2015 |location=[[Cleveland]], Ohio}}</ref><ref name="station pages">{{cite web |url=http://www.riderta.com/facilities |title=Major Stations |date=2012 |publisher=[[Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority]]|accessdate=April 12, 2015 |location=[[Cleveland]], Ohio}}</ref>
!Date opened
!Date rebuilt
!class="unsortable"|Connections&nbsp;/ notes<ref name="schedule" /><ref name="station pages"/>
|-
|align="right"|{{stn|South Harbor}} {{RTA acc}} {{RTA park}}
| rowspan="2" |July 10, 1996<ref name="rta history">{{cite web |url=http://www.riderta.com/history |title=History of public transit in Greater Cleveland |date=2012 |publisher=[[Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority]] |accessdate=April 12, 2015 |location=[[Cleveland]], Ohio}}</ref>
| rowspan="6" |
|
|-
|align="right"|{{stn|East 9th–North Coast}} {{RTA acc}}
|{{rint|bus|1}} [[Laketran]]: 10, 11, 12
|-
|align="right"|{{stl|RTA Rapid Transit|Amtrak}} {{BSflag}} {{RTA park}} 
|December 1997
|{{rint|us|amtrak}} [[Amtrak]]: ''[[Floridian (train)|Floridian]], [[Lake Shore Limited]]''
|-
|align="right"|{{stl|RTA Rapid Transit|West 3rd}} {{RTA acc}}
|August 12, 1999<ref name="rta history" />
|
|-
|align="right"|{{stn|Flats East Bank}} {{RTA acc}}
| rowspan="2" |July 10, 1996<ref name="rta history" />
|
|-
|align="right"|{{stn|Settlers Landing}} {{RTA acc}}
|
|-
|align="right"|{{stn|Tower City}} {{RTA acc}}
|July 20, 1930
|December 17, 1990<ref name="rta history" />
|{{rint|cleveland|rta|link=RTA Rapid Transit}} [[RTA Rapid Transit]]: {{rcb|RTA Rapid Transit|Red|inline=route}} {{rcb|RTA Rapid Transit|Blue|inline=route}} {{rcb|RTA Rapid Transit|Green|inline=route}}<br/>{{rint|bus|brt}} RTA BRT: [[HealthLine]]<br>{{rint|bus|1}} RTA Bus: 1, 3, 8, 9, 11, 14, 14A, 15, 19, 19A, 19B, 22, 25, 26, 26A, 39, 45, 51, 51A, 53, 53A, 55, 55B, 55C, 71, 77, 90, 251, B-Line Trolley<br/>{{rint|bus|1}} [[Laketran]]: 10, 11, 12<br/>{{rint|bus|1}} [[METRO RTA]]: 61<br/>{{rint|bus|1}} [[Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority|PARTA]]: 100<br/>{{rint|bus|1}} [[SARTA]]: 4
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Waterfront Line}}
{{Attached KML|display=title,inline}}
*[http://www.riderta.com/routes/Rail Routes - Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority - Rail]
*[http://www.jtbell.net/transit/Cleveland/Waterfront/ Jon Bell - Cleveland, Ohio: The Waterfront Line]
*[[Northern Ohio Railway Museum]]

{{Cleveland Rapid}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Waterfront Line (RTA Rapid Transit)}}
[[Category:Waterfront Line (RTA Rapid Transit)| ]]
[[Category:Light rail in Ohio]]
[[Category:Standard-gauge railways in the United States]]
[[Category:600 V DC railway electrification]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1996]]
[[Category:1996 establishments in Ohio]]