In late August, the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority opened its new Cedar-University Rapid Station, Grand Rapids, Mich.'s The Ride launced its new Silver Line BRT service and the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority opened its new CNG fueling station.
August 2014 project launches: Cleveland; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Kansas City
The new Silver Line will significantly improve transit options in the greater Grand Rapids area and offer faster, more convenient access to major downtown employers along one of the city’s busiest commercial corridors.
The 9.6-mile Silver Line BRT system operates primarily along Division Avenue, serving residential areas along the corridor and major employers such as St. Mary’s Medical campus, the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and the Cook-DeVos School of Nursing.
The move from diesel to CNG fuel is expected to save up to $500,000 in fuel in 2015 and up to $4,000,000 per year once the fleet is fully converted over the next dozen years.
The CNG fueling station is the largest fast-fill station in Missouri and the Kansas City region.
KCATA currently has 17 CNG buses in its fleet with eight more arriving next month.
The FTA contributed approximately $32 million toward the $40 million total project cost, including $19 million through its Capital Investment Grant Program and $13 million through its Bus and Bus Facilities Grant Program.
(From left to right): Robert Eckardt, executive VP, Cleveland Foundation; Chris Ronayne, president, Cleveland Foundation; Major Frank Jackson; FTA Acting Administrator Therese McMillan; Ward 6 Councilwoman Mamie Mitchell; GCRTA GM Joe Calabrese; John Wheeler, sr. VP, administration, CWRU.
GCRTA CEO Joe Calabrese talks with FTA Acting Administrator Therese McMillan, during a tour of the new Cedar-University Rapid Station on Aug. 28. The tour, led by Joseph Shaffer (right), RTA's director, engineering and project development, came just before the ribbon-cutting ceremony.