LEGISLATION filed in the Illinois House of Representatives on May 28 proposes the replacement of the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), which oversees the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra commuter operations, and Pace suburban buses, with a new organisation, the Northern Illinois Transit Authority.
The new body would be charged with “creating a universal fare system and ensuring coordination of service and capital projects,” according to the bill. Under the plan, CTA, Metra, and Pace would focus solely on operating services.
The proposed bill, however, does not address the looming $US 770m budget shortfall for transit services in 2026 after Covid-19 relief funding comes to an end.
CTA has warned that if no action is taken to increase state funding for public transport, it will be forced to close 50 metro stations and cease operating more than 110km of lines, and eliminate more than half its bus routes. CTA has not yet said which specific lines would be affected. Metra would similarly suffer a 40% reduction in service, and Pace is threatening to eliminate all services after 20.00 during the week, and all buses operated at weekends.
However, the bill’s sponsors and Illinois governor JB Pritzker say that reforms are needed before they deal with the funding issue.
“What we really need is to uplift the entire system, make it safe for everybody to ride, get to work, go to school, get home safely,” Pritzker says. “Hyper-important to me that we’re doing that because you can’t put money into something that doesn’t guarantee that at the start.”
RTA said in a statement that it is reviewing the proposed legislation.
“Our intention is to do a complete analysis before making any statements about what is in the bill or how it may impact the region’s transit system,” RTA says.
“It is clear from initial review however, that this bill does not contain any new funding. To date riders have sent more than 15,000 letters to their legislators urging them to act this session. Reforms alone cannot close our fiscal cliff, and riders will need to brace for service cuts in 2026 if the state does not provide funding certainty by May 31.”
Metra and Pace spokespeople also confirmed that they are still reviewing the House and Senate versions of the bill.
