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It’s the final countdown: A new transit bill materialized this morning
We're in the eleventh hour for the state legislature to address the looming $771 million Chicagoland transit fiscal cliff. The end of the regular legislative session is this Saturday, May 31, and transit budgets that need to be in place by the end of fall. Facing increasing labor costs, slow ridership recovery, and a state-imposed farebox recovery ratio of 50 percent, the options are either to reach a state agreement on additional funding, or balance the budget through a combination of service cuts and fare increases.
Austin Busch
May 28, 2025
New wayfinding signs installed after driver killed man at DLSD/Roosevelt. And bill for DLSD study passed State Senate last month.
See the update about the new signs at the bottom of this post, originally published on April 16, 2025.
April 16, 2025
Lots of pro-walk/bike/transit legislation may be up for a vote this spring in Springfield. Lawmakers discuss why they’re backing it.
By Alek Madry
March 16, 2025
Sen. Ram Villalam on transit funding, and the recent research trip to Germany: “It really showcased how integrated public transit is possible.”
Sometimes right now it feels like Chicagoland residents are on a runaway train (or a scene from the 1994 city bus thriller Speed?) hurtling towards our region's looming transit fiscal cliff. Federal COVID-era public transportation subsidies for the CTA, Metra, and Pace, overseen by the Regional Transit Authority, are projected to run out in 2026. That would leave the systems with a total budget gap that would be the better part of a billion dollars.
February 4, 2025
Rep. Buckner on the transit fiscal cliff: “We need the right mix of revenue and reform to make the system work the way it’s supposed to.”
Right now, the elephant in the room for Chicagoland public transportation planners and advocates is the looming regional transit fiscal cliff as federal COVID-19 funding subsidies run out. According to the Regional Transportation Authority, which oversees the CTA, Metra, and Pace, the three systems will face a $770 million total shortfall – almost 20 percent of the operating budget – in 2026. The RTA says that if the issue is not addressed by this spring, the result would be higher fares and reduced service, leading to less ridership, aka the dreaded "transit death spiral".
January 31, 2025
