Transit Fiscal Cliff
Top Categories
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
Proposed 2025 CTA budget emphasizes accessibility improvements, service tweaks
The CTA released its proposed 2025 CTA budget last Friday, October 11. The document hints at some potential service increases, touts several station improvements that have been discussed for years, and even dares to hope that 2025 will be the year construction finally starts on the long-awaited Red Line extension.
October 18, 2024
Transit is the Answer Coalition discusses: Should we consolidate the 4 agencies, or beef up the RTA?
"The reforms that we are here to discuss today are part of [a] larger conversation," Executive Director Leanne Redden said. "And much of that work centers around developing a stronger RTA."
August 4, 2024
