Lakewood, RTA Officials: Circulator Route Has ‘Zero’ Chance of Returning

It seems as if the popular circulator route has reached the end of the line in Lakewood.

City officials met recently with representatives from RTA to determine if there would be an eventual return of the route, after the service was eliminated in 2009 to close a multi-million-gap in the transit agency’s budget. 

Mayor Michael Summers said he left the meeting with the understanding that there is “zero” chance that the service would be reactivated.

Furthermore, RTA officials have said that with looming federal cuts to its funding, additional service in Lakewood and other communities could be on the chopping block in 2012.

“Lakewood would love to have the circulator route back,” said Summers. “What’s the chance of that happening? Zero.”

After the circulator route was discontinued, RTA and the city jointly launched the Shopper Shuttle, but with only about a dozen riders at a time, that service was also halted.

RTA spokeswoman Mary McCahon said cutting the circulator routes was a difficult decision, but added that it was necessary to avoid layoffs.

She said that the circulator covered ground that was already served by existing routes: the No. 25 on Madison Avenue; the No. 26 on Detroit Avenue; and No. 83 on W. 117^th Street.

“The first thing we looked at was where was the duplication of service,” she said, adding that all 12 circulator routes across Cuyahoga County were eliminated. 

McCahon agreed with Summers’ assessment that there is “zero chance” that the circulator will return.

She painted an even gloomier picture for the future if a proposed 30 percent funding cut is made to the federal government’s transportation fund. 

“In 2011, we think we’d be able to continue with no layoffs, no rate hikes and no service cuts,” she said. “But now, we go into 2012. What do we do if 30 percent of our federal funds are cut?”

“All we’re trying to do now is maintain what we have, and putting something back that was a duplication of service is not going to happen.”

Summers said the city is looking into ways to work with residents who need service — often elderly and low-income residents. The city is hosting a meeting at 7 p.m. Aug. 30 at the to discuss alternative transportation options.

“We’re on our own,” Summers said, noting the city’s own financial woes with the state’s $1.6 million . “Whatever is going to happen, we’re going to have to figure out a way to make it happen with resources that we don’t have.”