Warrensville–Van Aken station

Warrensville
 Blue Line  light rail station
Location 3470 Warrensville Center Road
Shaker Heights, Ohio 44122
Coordinates 41°27′57″N 81°32′16″W / 41.46583°N 81.53778°W / 41.46583; -81.53778Coordinates: 41°27′57″N 81°32′16″W / 41.46583°N 81.53778°W / 41.46583; -81.53778
Owned by Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
Line(s) Van Aken Boulevard
Platforms 1 island platform
Tracks 3
Connections

5
14
41

41F (Limited Service)
Construction
Structure type At grade
Parking No
Disabled access Yes
Other information
Website Warrensville–Van Aken Rapid Station
History
Opened July 30, 1930
Rebuilt October 30, 1981
1999
Original company Cleveland Interurban Railroad
Services
Preceding station   Rapid Transit   Following station
toward Tower City
Blue LineTerminus
Former services
Preceding station   Rapid Transit   Following station
Van Aken
Line
1975-1978
Terminus
Shaker Heights Rapid Transit
Van Aken
Line
1944-1975
Terminus
Cleveland Interurban Railroad
South Moreland Division
1930-1944
Terminus

Warrensville Yard
1930
1948

Warrensville–Van Aken is a station stop on the RTA light rail Blue Line in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, USA. It is the eastern terminus of the Blue Line.

The station is located at the median of Van Aken Boulevard near the intersection of Warrensville Center Road, Chagrin Boulevard (U.S. Route 422), Van Aken Boulevard, and Northfield Road (Ohio State Route 8) in Shaker Heights.

History

Station sign

The station opened when the Van Aken line was extended east from Lynnfield Road. The extension opened on July 30, 1930 at the same time that trains began using Cleveland Union Terminal.[1] The station originally included a car yard with a reverse U for turning the trains around. A passenger station building was constructed within the radius of reverse loop in 1932. However, because of the need to generate income, the building was never used as a passenger station but was leased for use as a Texaco service station.[2] In 1948, the reverse U was replaced by a regular turnaround loop.[3]

In 1980 and 1981, the Green and Blue Lines were completely renovated with new track, ballast, poles and wiring, and new stations were built along the line. The Warrensville station was rebuilt with a new platforms, a new car yard and a new power substation. The renovated line along Van Aken Boulevard opened on October 30, 1981.[4]

The car yard was not needed after RTA opened its Central Rail Maintenance Facility on April 29, 1984 at East 55th Street.[5] The loop was closed after RTA ended its use of PCC cars and relied completely upon the LRVs that comprise the current fleet.

There have been several proposals to extend the Blue Line beyond Warrensville station.

The proposal most recently considered would be a 2-mile (3-km) extension into and around the 600-acre (2.4-km²) Chagrin Highlands development near Harvard Road and I-271. The proposed route would travel along Northfield Road south, and then turns east along Mill Creek Pond Dr., traveling parallel to Harvard Road. The line would terminate somewhere between Richmond and Green Roads.[6][7]

Station layout

Side platform, doors open on the right
Westbound ←  Blue Line  toward Tower City (Farnsleigh)
Eastbound →  Blue Line  Terminus →
Side platform, doors open on the right

Notable places nearby

References

  1. ↑ Toman, James (1990). The Shaker Heights Rapid Transit. Glendale, Calif.: Interurban Press. p. 45. ISBN 0-916374-95-5.
  2. ↑ Toman (1990). p. 59.
  3. ↑ Toman (1990). p. 76.
  4. ↑ Toman (1990). p. 111.
  5. ↑ "About RTA: History of Public Transit in Greater Cleveland". RTA Website. Retrieved 2007-06-30.
  6. ↑ "Transit 2025 Plan" (PDF). Cleveland, Ohio: Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority. March 2006.
  7. ↑ "Greater Cleveland RTA rail planning updates". Transportation Choices. EcoCity Cleveland. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
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