NITA reason to celebrate? Transit officials and advocates discuss the importance of the Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act becoming law yesterday

Remember “The Halloween Miracle” that happened last October 31, when state legislators stayed up way past the witching hour to pass Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act? That budgeted some $1.5 billion a year to save Chicagoland bus and train service from a fiscal cliff, and provided funding for downstate public transportation upgrades as well. Instead of service cuts, fare hikes, and the dreaded “transit death spiral,” this heralded a new era of more reliable, efficient, safe, equitable, environmentally friendly, and enjoyable transportation in the Land of Lincoln.

Fast forward seven months, and on June 1 the NITA Act became law, so now it’s time to put the rubber to the road, and the steel wheels to the tracks. Let’s take a look at what some of the key officials agencies, and advocates involved in making the legislation a reality had to say about this milestone.

Sen. Ram Villivalam

Last Friday evening, Sen. Ram Villivalam was looking forward to the enactment of the legislation he and his colleagues had worked so hard to pass. “The Northern Transit Authority Act is a historic, transformative law securing the future of world-class public transit in Illinois,” he said in a statement. However, he noted the the importance of passing a cleanup bill to fine tune the document. “With June 1 quickly approaching, it is imperative that we continue to work and ensure streamlined implementation throughout the transition to NITA.”

Villivalam said that House Bill 2335 “would clarify dates and align implementation timelines to ensure the law can be administered effectively and consistently.” The new legislation passed over the weekend. In the near future, Streetsblog will provide details about exactly what’s in the cleanup bill.

Villivalam concluded, “I am grateful to advance this measure thanks to collaborative work from stakeholders, advocates and everyday riders as we are now one step closer to safe, reliable, accessible and affordable public transit for all Illinoisans.”

Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado

“The transit reform legislation we fought to pass is now officially in effect, delivering on our commitment to fix and fund a system that millions of Illinoisans rely on every day,” Delgado told Streetsblog yesterday via email. “For too long, riders have endured unreliable service, fragmented governance, and uncertainty about the future of public transit. Today, we begin turning the page.”

“This law creates a more coordinated and accountable transit system, replaces outdated structures with modern governance, and provides the sustainable funding needed to avert devastating service cuts and layoffs,” She added. “Most importantly, it puts riders first.”

“Public transit is more than buses and trains,” Delgado concluded. “It is a pathway to opportunity. Today, Illinois is reaffirming its commitment to building a transit system that works for everyone.”

Regional Transportation Authority

If any of the major players in the NITA transformation have a right to not be completely thrilled about current events, the Regional Transportation Authority staff and board have been in the challenging position of having to prepare for their own replacement. But they seem to be keeping a stiff upper lip about the situation. “The Regional Transportation Authority will continue operating as the RTA until September 1, when terms of the new NITA Board members begin and NITA is formally established,” the umbrella agency said in a press release yesterday.

Star:Line Chicago created this graphic, used with permission. It shows the current Regional Transportation Authority and CTA, Metra, and Pace board composition, and what it will be after the state bill kicks in. The RTA will be replaced by the Northern Illinois Transit Authority, and the three transit boards will be remixed.Currently the Chicago mayor appoints four out of seven CTA board members, but under the new CTA board structure, the mayor will only select three out of seven.

“Rider-focused improvements will begin to roll out across the system immediately as CTA, Metra and Pace increase service this summer across the six-county region,” RTA stated, For example, yesterday Metra commuter rail launched a new expanded schedule for its Rock Island District line. And last Thursday they announced upgraded service on the Metra Electric District route that kicks in on July 15.

Yesterday, the RTA board approved a 0.25 percent increase to Chicagoland’s RTA Sales Tax to help fund these upgrades. That’s a single quarter on a $100 purchase in the six-county region, which shouldn’t be too much of a hardship for consumers, who will benefit from better public transportation, fewer cars on local roads, and cleaner air.

“Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for regional transit, and thanks to the NITA Act, transit riders should know that service not only continues without interruption, but will be enhanced,” stated RTA board captain Kirk Dillard. “This summer, riders will begin seeing the benefits of new funding through more security personnel, expanded service, improved fare programs and better customer information across the region.”

Active Transportation Alliance

So what do local sustainable transportation advocates and activists who helped make the NITA act happen have to say about yesterday’s landmark? “NITA represents a huge step forward for our communities and the future of transit in Illinois,” said Amy Rynell, executive director of Chicagoland’s leading walk/bike/transit booster organization the Active Transportation Alliance in a statement to SBC this morning. “The legislation reshapes the way transit works in northern Illinois, creating a system that puts people and communities first. Now with NITA officially law, we can come to expect less waiting, smoother connections, and easier commutes – helping people reach jobs, schools, healthcare, and everything else that makes daily life possible.”

“A big thank you to the Illinois legislature for the NITA cleanup bill that just passed, and to the RTA for passing the final piece of the revenue puzzle to set NITA up for success from the start,” Rynell added. “We’re deeply grateful to lawmakers, advocates, and everyone who spoke out, organized, and believed that better transit is possible. Our successful multi-year fight has put us on the path to a world-class system that puts people first and strengthens every community it serves. Here’s to a new era for mobility – and to all of you who made it happen.”  

Better Streets Chicago

ATA’s younger sibling, the grassroots sustainable transportation advocacy group Better Streets Chicago, also played a key role in making the transit funding and governance victory happen. Yesterday they celebrated the June 1 milestone with a video and thread, that invited citizens to email elected officials, “urging them to deliver on the promise of NITA.”

Here’s a transcript of the clip, featuring Betters Streets Campaign Manager Alex Nelson and Cofounder (and former SBC co-editor) Courtney Cobbs.

Alex Nelson: Today is a huge day Chicago! It’s June 1, and that means the Northern Illinois Transit Authority is officially here. Last year, you fought alongside us to defend public transit from falling off the fiscal cliff.

Courtney Cobbs: We were facing an $800 million dollar deficit, and staring down the barrel of nearly half of our regional transit service being cut. This was an existential threat, and you stepped up to make it clear to legislators that they needed to act. But we didn’t just save transit from going over the edge. We fought for critical reforms to make the system better.

AN: Northern Illinois Transit Authority or NITA replaces the Regional Transit Authority, with new powers designed to unite our transit systems, things like unified planning, a single fare system, the introduction of service standards and transit ambassadors are just some of the ways that NITA is intended to make more reliable, connected, and safer, whether you’re taking CTA, Metra, or Pace.

But none of this is a guarantee, and it will take time to implement and get right. And there are already forces at play that are trying to undermine the power of the system and divert funds away from service.

CC: In a time when the importance of transit couldn’t be clearer, with higher gas prices and rising cost of living, we need to make it clear to our leaders that they need to deliver on the promise of NITA. So we need you to stay in the fight with us. Head to SaveTransit.org and take the pledge to fight for transit.

AN: And use our tool to send an email to your leaders urging them to deliver on the promise they made to you. Today will go down in Illinois history because we made it that way.

CC: Let’s work together to keep things on track! [Points to Red Line tracks.]

Well said! Now it’s time to roll up our sleeves and get to work on creating a truly world-class Chicagoland transit system.

Update 6/3/26, 1:15 PM: Equiticity Executive Director Oboi Reed provided the following statement.

“The NITA Act going into effect marks a significant moment for public transit in northern Illinois,” he wrote. “However, its true importance will be measured by whether it materially improves life outcomes for Black and Brown people across our region. For too long, our communities have experienced disinvestment, fragmented service, safety concerns, cost burdens, and inequitable engagement with the jobs, schools, health care, grocery stores, parks, and cultural institutions that improve quality of life.”

“NITA must be more than a new governance structure,” Reed added. “It must become a public agency with an operational commitment to racial equity, mobility justice, and environmental justice baked into both policy and practice. That means centering Black and Brown communities in decision-making, prioritizing service improvements where transit dependence and historic harms are greatest, reducing transportation cost burdens, advancing clean and healthy mobility options, and measuring success by whether the system expands mobility, safety, engagement with key destinations, and opportunity for the racially marginalized people who have been most excluded from transformative transit for generations.”

“For NITA to fulfill its promise, racial equity must move beyond aspirational language,” Reed concluded. “Racial equity at NITA must be the foundation for how the agency envisions, plans, funds, operates, and evaluates its transit services and their impact on our communities.”

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