Today’s Headlines for Friday, October 3
Sponsored by:
• “RTA lowered the projected 2026 fiscal cliff facing mass transit by over $500M today, but the deficit is set to rise again in 2027 to nearly $800M.” (Crain’s)
• “Business groups turn up heat ahead of transit reform negotiations” (Crain’s)
• US DOT is putting RLE funding on hold because CTA pursued DBE goals as part of the project, which the DOT claims are discriminatory (Freemark)
• RLE cost researcher Nik Hunder: “Yes they have attempted to cancel it, no it will not withstand a legal challenge. This is a ‘don’t like it’ rescission attempt.”
• “Metra, CTA awarded federal grants that could require cooperation with immigration enforcement” (Tribune)
• “Border Patrol Agent Put Man In ‘Chokehold’ After West Side Car Crash, Leaders Say” (Block Club)
• CDOT: “Harrison Street Viaduct Reconstruction Complete, Road and Bridge to Reopen [today],” which they say was a sticky wicket of a task (Bluesky, Twitter)
• A (presumably highly caffeinated) review of Metra’s prototype Cafe Car from Axios
• Before building more PBLs, please consider the needs of “Mr. Zak, a pro gambler who struggles to commute casinos in his Corvette” Loop North News
• The transit agency wakes us up when September ends: “CTA Is Your Designated October Ride”
• Mobilize Chicago: “Add your voice to Chicago’s vision for joyful, inclusive urban spaces” Su 10/5, 11 AM at Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave.
Do you appreciate Streetsblog Chicago’s paywall-free sustainable transportation reporting and advocacy? We officially ended our 2024-25 fund drive in July, but we still need a little under $43K+ to keep publishing at full strength in 2026. We’d appreciate any leads on potential major donors or grants. And if you haven’t already, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help us continue producing SBC next year. Thanks!
Read More:
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
