View the Strategic Regional Transit Plan 2021

Executive Summary

In the last few decades, the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) region has experienced significant changes in population, land-use, travel patterns, and funding mechanisms which have led to shifting population trends from urban to suburban, shifts in employment from the central business district to edge cities, and declining transit ridership in the NOACA region.

A more strategic and cohesive approach to regional transit is warranted. The sentiment has been echoed in various regional documents including NOACA’s 2015 Regional Strategic Plan, Going Forward, Together; the 2014 Ohio Statewide Transit Needs Study, Build Your Own Transit System; and results from Crowd Gauge, NOACA’s electronic survey tool.
The purpose of this study is to provide a strategic action plan that supports the development of a cohesive and coordinated vision for public transit investment in the NOACA region. The five public transit agencies in the region are Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA), Laketran, Lorain County Transit (LCT), Medina County Public Transit (MCPT), and Geauga County Transit (GCT). This study sought to do the following:

• Analyze current transit service, needs, gaps and areas of potential improvement and enhancement; analyze the projected future population and service needs(regional); determine the transit options required to effectively serve the NOACA region as well as how to best connect the region over a 10-year horizon.

• Develop a plan that supports the development of a cohesive, coordinate vision for investment in public transit on a regional scale; identify opportunities, advantages, disadvantages, and barriers to enhancing services and/or expanding services provided.

• Improve coordination of the five current public transit agencies and examine opportunities for enhanced regional coordination with neighboring public and private transit systems and providers.

• Analyze current funding mechanisms and determine potential new sources of funding necessary to meet projected needs.

• Prepare a strategic plan which identifies strategies for enhancing mobility region-wide.

The project builds upon the plans of the five public transit agencies for intra-county travel but does not assess or revise those plans. This plan addresses intercounty travel and regional needs.