Latest news with #RamVillivalam
Axios
03-07-2025
- Business
- Axios
Chicago transit leaders prepping budget cuts
Illinois' 2026 fiscal year started Tuesday, but more money for public transit is not in the budget, leaving transit leaders and commuters in limbo. The big picture: The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and Chicago area transit leaders have been sounding the alarm on a $770 million fiscal cliff expected next year as COVID funds are set to expire, and had requested $1.5 billion from the state legislature. But lawmakers passed the 2026 budget without that money. Why it matters: Short of lawmakers calling a special summer session or taking up the issue in October's veto session, RTA has one budget scenario that assumes 40% service cuts and a potential fare increase. Reality check: Although the state's fiscal year started July 1, RTA's doesn't start until Jan. 1. CTA, Metra and Pace must present their budgets by mid-October and with this year's uncertainty, RTA asked each to prepare two versions — one with additional funding and one without. What they're saying: "I don't want to give anyone false hope that there is still any way to avoid some of these negative impacts," RTA executive director Leanne Redden told the RTA board last month. "The negative impacts are here, and now we're going to have to all work together to mitigate the worst of those impacts for as long as possible, while the legislature continues to do their work." Catch up quick: The Illinois Legislature could not agree during the spring session on a package that included reforms and revenue for regional transit. The Illinois Senate passed a bill that included what lawmakers referred to as necessary reforms, including a new governance board called Northeastern Illinois Transit Authority, or NITA, an Office of Public Safety and a transit ambassador program. Some proposed revenue ideas included a transaction fee on tolls, $1.50 ride share tax and increased real estate transfer tax. Yes, but: "Those measures were met with stiff opposition from the collar counties," state Sen. Ram Villivalam said at the Union League Club last month. State of play: Villivalam has maintained that NITA would "promote integration and eliminate the silos" by creating a universal fare system and operating budgets for all agencies rather than separate budgets and leadership. State Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado echoed that it would benefit riders most: "I think Metro is very good at delivering commuter rail service. I would love for them to communicate more with the bus system, so that we make sure that the bus shows up at the same time the train does." The other side: CTA, Metra and Pace argue each agency is needed because of the specific needs of that type of transit — city, suburban bus and commuter rail – and also that they should remain separate to honor each agency's collective bargaining agreements with workers. Follow the money: Without support from the legislature, RTA has predicted $3.6 billion in operating expenses, down from $4.4 billion.
Chicago Tribune
16-06-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
With $771 million budget gap for transit looming, suburban officials and activists still waiting on reform
As May 31 this year came and went and Illinois lawmakers passed a roughly $55 billion state spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1, a $771 million budget shortfall that Chicago area transit agencies have warned will result in major service cuts on the CTA, Metra and Pace was left unsolved. But, as regional transit agencies sound the alarm and lawmakers decide whether they'll return to Springfield over the summer to pass transit legislation that will allow them to sidestep the fiscal cliff, some suburban elected officials and transit activists are continuing their calls for more suburban influence in regional transit decisions and more accessible and robust public transportation in areas with far fewer bus routes and train stations than the city of Chicago. Here's what's happened, what Kane County officials and some area transit activists are hoping for and where things stand now. For over a year, transit agencies have been warning of a looming budget shortfall as COVID-19 pandemic money starts to run out. The Regional Transportation Authority has outlined possible cuts and service reductions that could hit the area's three transit agencies — the CTA, Metra and Pace Suburban Bus — and the RTA, the body that oversees them, as early as next year if the $771 million gap in funding is not filled, according to past reporting. Failure to fill the budget hole could result in cuts to some of the CTA's train lines, and the elimination of as many as 74 of its 127 bus routes, according to the RTA. Metra train frequency could be reduced and Pace could reduce the frequency of buses and cut weekend service entirely. Paratransit, too, could see service reductions on weekends. Meanwhile, tackling the budget shortfall has brought with it discussion in Springfield about how transit is overseen and how to fund it, with state Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, for example, championing legislation that would consolidate the region's transit agencies. The transit agencies pushed back on the original plan's lack of a funding solution, while suburban groups and officials argued consolidation would limit the suburbs' input on transit matters. Supporters backed it on the grounds that it could save money and help coordinate services better. In late May, just days before the spring legislative session was set to adjourn, Illinois lawmakers filed a bill in the House that would not consolidate the region's transit agencies, but would rename the RTA the Northern Illinois Transit Authority, establish a new law enforcement task force, change the model of board governance overseeing the agencies and charge the new board with setting a single payment system and coordinating transit schedules across the region, according to past reporting. A transit bill introduced in the Senate the same day offered some funding proposals to address the gap: an up to 50-cent toll increase, a 10% tax on ride-sharing services and a real estate transfer tax. It also included limitations on the collar counties' ability to use the RTA sales tax money they receive for certain public safety and transportation costs. A Senate proposal filed on May 31 suggested a $1.50 retail delivery fee to generate additional revenue. Soon after, representatives from the collar counties criticized the proposals, according to past reporting, pointing to a loss of tax revenue for suburban counties, less oversight power for the suburbs and the impact of a toll increase on suburban commuters. Ultimately, legislators left Springfield without passing legislation that would fill the transit budget gap, per past reporting, with House Democrats saying they wanted to sort out the board oversight issue before coming to an agreement on a funding proposal. In Kane County, the failure to pass the Senate funding proposal was met with some optimism from local officials seeking greater suburban influence over the transit agencies. At a county board meeting on June 4, Kane County Board Chair Corinne Pierog reiterated interest in greater oversight for the collar counties on the region's transit agencies. 'That was our big fight, and we were able to, altogether, with our senators … postpone this for another day, and a much more thoughtful, I hope, less rushed conversation,' Pierog said. According to the bill introduced in the House, the new Northern Illinois Transit Authority governance structure would have included five representatives from the city of Chicago appointed by the mayor, five representatives appointed by the governor, five by the president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners and five representatives from the collar counties — one appointed by each of the chairs of the county boards in Kane, Lake, McHenry, DuPage and Will. The current RTA governance model includes 16 directors, five of which come from the collar counties, along with a chairman who needs at least two votes from the collar county representatives, according to RTA spokesperson Tina Fassett Smith. Just before the state's spending plan was passed, elected officials from Kane County and its local municipalities gathered for a press conference to raise their concerns about the fiscal cliff and revenue suggestions. Elgin Mayor David Kaptain said the county is seeking equal representation in transit matters. 'We're not the end of the (Metra) line,' Kaptain said at the news conference. 'We're the beginning of the (Metra) line.' Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns referred to the funding mechanism proposed by state legislators as 'statutory pickpocketing.' And Kane County State's Attorney Jamie Mosser and Sheriff Ron Hain noted the possible impact of losing RTA sales tax revenue, which the county currently uses to fund some public safety costs. Currently, the RTA collects a 0.75% sales tax in the collar counties, including Kane, of which one-third is distributed back to each county and can be used for transportation and public safety, said Fassett Smith. The rest of the money generated goes to the RTA, and is allocated to the service boards, she noted. According to data from the RTA and numbers provided by Kane County Finance Director Kathleen Hopkinson, Kane County received just over $26 million in RTA sales tax funding for fiscal year 2024. Of that, almost $20 million went toward transportation funding, while the rest went to public safety and judicial safety funds, according to the figures from Hopkinson. Pierog said the county's main concerns are the governance model overhaul and the possible loss of RTA sales tax money. The county board did not take a position on the possible revenue proposals, like the toll increase and package delivery fee, she said. On the legislative side, too, state Rep. Barbara Hernandez, a Democrat who represents portions of Aurora, North Aurora and Batavia, said reforming the governance structure is a key House priority before getting to questions of revenue, and that holding off on voting on the transit legislation gives them more time to talk with their constituents about the proposals. Thew Elliot, 64, said he's never held a driver's license. Having lived in Aurora the past seven years, he said he's able to walk to Wesley United Methodist Church, where he works as director of liturgy and music. But navigating the area for his regular errands without a car is difficult, he said, so much so that he often travels to Chicago to do them. 'I go to a neighborhood where I can go to a Michaels, go to a (Jewel-Osco), go to a drug store, get something to eat, all on foot,' he said. 'That's impossible for me to do in Aurora. It would take me seven hours. … It's just the density and what you can do on foot once you're there (in Chicago) is much better.' Elliot is involved with the activist community in Aurora, and has previously coordinated a warming center at the church he works at. He noted his concerns that cuts to transit services might more significantly affect non-rush hour transit services, often used by those working nontraditional jobs, including homeless individuals. He has also attended a transit reform listening session hosted by political advocacy group The People's Lobby, which, when it came to addressing the transit situation in the Chicago area, supported consolidation of the region's transit organizations and funding proposals meant to prevent cuts and expand transit access. The People's Lobby started holding listening sessions about transit in Chicago, said its director of membership and advocacy Miguel Molina-Ventura, and then began hosting events in the suburbs. Molly Merchant, 22, of Wheaton got involved with The People's Lobby through local campaign work, and has worked for the organization on facilitating turnout for environmental justice and public transit-related events, an issue she has a personal stake in. Merchant and her roommate bought a car last year, she said, but it was wrecked in an accident just a few months later. She's saving up again for a new one, but said getting around is a lot more difficult for the time being. 'I had to rely on, like, rides from friends just to get to classes, and I had to ask my aunts to drive me to the grocery store because I didn't have a car anymore and I couldn't afford Ubers,' Merchant said. Groups like The People's Lobby say they want an expansion of the public transit system currently offered in the suburbs. But doing so would be expensive, Pierog noted, since it would be a newer system than Chicago and would therefore require more infrastructure to be built. And it would be a learning curve for Kane County residents, she said, to get accustomed to taking mass transit rather than using a car to get around. In addition to its Metra stations, Kane County currently has fixed bus route service provided by Pace, as well as on-demand service in some areas, the Pace Vanpool ridesharing service and Americans with Disabilities Act-mandated paratransit, per the agency's website. But a lack of robust public transit further reinforces access issues, Rep. Hernandez said, when individuals in the area don't use the transit available. 'Instead of trying to find other ways to reach people (when there's a route with low ridership), I feel like they just do the quick way of, 'Let me just remove this route out of the picture,' unfortunately, leaving people without that transportation and leaving people to rely more on their cars. … I'm hoping that with (new transit legislation), it could help fix that, and it could make people go back to public transportation.' Funding for future projects also remains uncertain. For example, a Metra station in Oswego has been a priority for the community for nearly three decades, according to Village Administrator Dan Di Santo. Most recently, he said, U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville, directed some funds toward an environmental assessment for a possible BNSF line extension into Kendall County. The community is also considering whether the Metra train could run on the Illinois Railway line instead, which wouldn't require laying additional tracks. The BNSF Metra commuter line — which runs between Chicago's Union Station and Aurora — sees the highest ridership of all the area Metra lines. According to data from the RTA, the BNSF line provided over 650,000 rides in April 2025. Comparatively, the Union Pacific West Line, which goes into Geneva with a last stop in Elburn, saw 345,794 rides in April. But, ridership is still down significantly since before the COVID-19 pandemic, when the BNSF line, for example, typically gave over 1 million rides in any given month. Kendall County is not deemed a collar county, meaning it doesn't currently have a say in the transit agencies' decisions. But Di Santo said, despite the current state budget concerns, his community is prepared to ride out the fiscal uncertainty when it comes to transit. 'We're in it for the long game,' Di Santo said. 'When we did our last study, it was during COVID. … They said, 'Is there even going to be commuter rail service?' … And now it's a fiscal cliff.' Both Metra and Pace have stated they'll be operating as though the budget gap will not be filled — for now at least. Per a memo from the RTA in March, budget scenarios, including service reductions and fare increases, are to be developed by the service boards — the CTA, Metra and Pace — from July through September. Public notice of cuts to existing service would be announced between September and October, and initial layoff notices could also begin during that time frame. The service boards are to present their budgets to the RTA board in November for adoption of a 2026 regional transit operating budget and 2026-2030 capital program in December. Per the RTA's proposed timeline, schedule changes and cuts could begin in 2026. Metra spokesperson Michael Gillis said it can only use known sources of revenue as it begins the 2026 budget process, but is 'hopeful' that Springfield will identify new funding solutions. He said Metra has not identified what exactly service reductions would look like, and said the agency could not yet provide details on how Kane County might be impacted. Pace, too, is beginning its budget process 'based on the funding currently available,' according to spokesperson Maggie Daly Skogsbakken, 'with hope and determination that additional support will be secured later this year.'
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Illinois legislators left Springfield without funding public transit (for now). Here's what that means for CTA, Metra, Pace
For months, Chicagoland's transit agencies have sounded an alarm: If lawmakers don't plug a looming $771 million budget gap, they warned, residents will experience drastic service cuts on the CTA, Metra and Pace next year. Over the weekend, Illinois lawmakers adjourned their spring legislative session without passing legislation that would avert the fiscal cliff. The Regional Transportation Authority, which oversees CTA, Metra and Pace, has warned that it will have to start planning for dramatic cuts to transit service. Next year, riders could experience a 40% reduction in transit service — with some rail lines and bus routes eliminated entirely — the RTA has warned. Nearly 3,000 workers could lose their jobs. Still, service cuts are not slated to start until COVID-19 relief funding runs out in January, or even later into next year. That means there is still time for lawmakers to go back to Springfield to take another stab at passing legislation that would plug the budget gap. However, any legislation passed after May 31 that would take effect before June 2026 requires — per the state's constitution — a three-fifths majority in both chambers rather than a simple majority. That makes lawmakers' task harder. Here's what Chicagoans need to know about the future of transit service in the metro area. In short, lawmakers in both chambers introduced legislation that would have revamped the structure of the RTA, which oversees the CTA, Metra and Pace. A Senate proposal that included funding mechanisms for those reforms and to avert the looming fiscal cliff — largely in the form of various taxes and fees — failed to get over the finish line in the House. As the spring legislative session came to a close, a mantra of 'no funding without reform' came to dominate conversations in Springfield about the looming transit fiscal cliff. Bills introduced last week would have replaced the RTA with a new entity called the Northern Illinois Transit Authority that would be given broad planning authority. But after months of behind-the-scenes negotiations, lawmakers only began publicly sharing their ideas for revenue generation to avert the fiscal cliff on Thursday. Those ideas included a 50 cent tollway tax that got shut down after fierce opposition from organized labor and suburban lawmakers and a $1.50 retail delivery fee that garnered similarly ferocious opposition from powerful business groups. Shortly before May 31 gave way to June 1, the Senate approved a version of the bill that would have included the $1.50 package delivery fee. But the bill, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Ram Villivalam, was never called for a vote in the House. The legislature adjourned in the early hours of Sunday morning without passing any transit legislation at all. While the General Assembly has been engaged in negotiations over ways to overhaul public transit in the Chicago area for months, if not longer, state Rep. Kam Buckner, one of the sponsors of the House's transit reform bill, noted the Senate's approach was different than the House's in that the Senate decided to include revenue options in its proposal while the House wanted to discuss operational fixes first before getting into how it'd all be funded. Buckner noted that he and Chicago Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, the main sponsor of the House's transit bill, were among the key House Democratic negotiators for the entire state budget, and Buckner said he was concerned about a transit revenue vote in the House derailing the budget talks. Buckner also said the House wasn't aware that the $1.50 delivery proposal from the Senate was a possibility, 'which is why we never talked about it with our folks.' All in all, he felt it would have been 'disingenuous' and 'irresponsible' to ask fellow House members to vote on the bill without being more familiar with its revenue proposals. 'It jeopardizes the integrity of what we've built in the House and we made the right call,' Buckner said of the House's decision to not call the bill. In a statement on Monday, Villivalam reiterated his consistent message on the issue that 'there will be no funding without reform' and said he looked forward to working with Delgado and Buckner 'to get this package of reforms and funding across the finish line.' Yes. Lawmakers could go back to Springfield later this year to pass transit legislation that would plug the funding gap. Any laws passed after the end of May taking effect before June 2026 require three-fifths approval in both chambers to pass, which makes the path forward more difficult than it was on May 31. While lawmakers will be scheduled to return to Springfield for the fall veto session, most likely in October or November, there's nothing stopping them from reconvening before that. Lawmakers had already left the door open to the possibility of coming back to the Capitol in the summer if they need to shore up the state budget in response to any federal action from President Donald Trump that could cause Illinois to lose critical federal funding. Meanwhile, the RTA said, transit agencies will have to make their budgets for next year assuming they're not going to get any more money. The RTA has said that layoffs could be announced as early as September. It's not clear exactly what might happen if transit workers are told they are facing layoffs and then the legislature, weeks or months later, passes a law ensuring more funding. 'It's going to be chaotic,' said P.S. Sriraj, the director of the Urban Transportation Center at the University of Illinois Chicago. Workers who get pink-slipped would have to start looking for other jobs, he said. Then, if agencies learn they have more funding available and can start ramping up plans for more service, they may have to go out and hire new employees. 'You're now behind the 8-ball,' said Sriraj, who added that he believed the legislature would ultimately find funding for transit. Buckner also indicated he understood the urgency for the state to come up with a solution on transit while the CTA is in the midst of crafting their budget. 'It's very clear to me that they need some stability and need some certainty to know what to do if they're going to balance their books,' said Buckner. Service cuts throughout the Chicago metro area would be drastic if the legislature doesn't take further action, transit agencies have warned. Service on half of the CTA's eight rail lines could be cut entirely or at least on whole branches of the line, the RTA has said. More than 50 'L' stations could close or see drastic service cuts. Frequencies on remaining rail lines would be cut between10 to 25%. And as many as 74 out of the CTA's 127 bus routes — close to 60% of them — could be eliminated. That could leave Chicago with fewer bus routes than Madison, Wi. or Kansas City, according to the RTA. On Metra, early morning and late evening trains would be cut. Trains might run only once an hour on weekdays and once every two hours on weekends. The Metra Electric Blue Island Branch might be slashed entirely. On Pace buses, weekend service could be cut entirely. Federally-mandated ADA paratransit service would still exist, but its service area could be slashed by 66% on the weekends. And as more people take to their cars because of diminished service, traffic throughout the area — which is already among the worst in the nation — could worsen. We don't know exactly where service will be cut. Here's what we do know about the process: This month, the RTA will give the CTA, Metra and Pace directions for the creation of their 2026 budgets. RTA spokesperson Tina Fassett Smith said in a statement over the weekend that its budget must, by law, 'only include funding we are confident the system will receive in 2026.' It will then be up to the agencies to decide how to adjust their planned service for next year. Staff at each agency will prepare proposals and budgets will be released publicly in the fall. As is the case in a typical year, each agency will hold public budget hearings in October or November. Because the agencies receive federal funding, they will almost certainly go through a Title VI process to make sure that any proposed cuts — or fare increases — do not disproportionately impact people of color or low-income people. For instance, the agencies will have to show that if they are cutting service 40% for riders overall, they are not cutting service by a significantly higher percentage for Black riders or low-income riders. If there will be a disparate impact from proposed cuts, they will have to show that they are taking steps to mitigate those effects. The Title VI process would include public hearings with the opportunity for riders to share their concerns. As the agencies evaluate where to cut service, said Sriraj, they'll be weighing Title VI responsibilities along with ridership metrics on various routes and lines and the availability of alternative modes of transit near routes slated for cuts. The respective boards of the CTA, Metra and Pace would ultimately be responsible for approving any proposed cuts or fare hikes. Cuts would begin in January at the earliest. Maggie Daly Skogsbakken, a spokesperson for Pace, said that though the agency's budget would take effect Jan. 1, it's possible the cuts would not take effect until later into the year. She also said that in the past, the agency has phased in large service changes rather than make them all at once. That could happen in this case, she said. Metra spokesperson Michael Gillis similarly said the soonest cuts would begin would be in January. The CTA did not directly address a question about when cuts would take effect, but said in a statement it would 'plan for a number of scenarios that could occur in 2026.' 'We are committed to working on behalf of our riders and employees, and we look forward to continuing the work to secure funding for Chicago-area public transit,' the agency said.
Chicago Tribune
02-06-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Illinois legislators left Springfield without funding public transit (for now). Here's what that means for CTA, Metra, Pace
For months, Chicagoland's transit agencies have sounded an alarm: If lawmakers don't plug a looming $771 million budget gap, they warned, residents will experience drastic service cuts on the CTA, Metra and Pace next year. Over the weekend, Illinois lawmakers adjourned their spring legislative session without passing legislation that would avert the fiscal cliff. The Regional Transportation Authority, which oversees CTA, Metra and Pace, has warned that it will have to start planning for dramatic cuts to transit service. Next year, riders could experience a 40% reduction in transit service — with some rail lines and bus routes eliminated entirely — the RTA has warned. Nearly 3,000 workers could lose their jobs. Still, service cuts are not slated to start until COVID-19 relief funding runs out in January, or even later into next year. That means there is still time for lawmakers to go back to Springfield to take another stab at passing legislation that would plug the budget gap. However, any legislation passed after May 31 that would take effect before June 2026 requires — per the state's constitution — a three-fifths majority in both chambers rather than a simple majority. That makes lawmakers' task harder. Here's what Chicagoans need to know about the future of transit service in the metro area. What happened in the legislature last week? In short, lawmakers in both chambers introduced legislation that would have revamped the structure of the RTA, which oversees the CTA, Metra and Pace. A Senate proposal that included funding mechanisms for those reforms and to avert the looming fiscal cliff — largely in the form of various taxes and fees — failed to get over the finish line in the House. As the spring legislative session came to a close, a mantra of 'no funding without reform' came to dominate conversations in Springfield about the looming transit fiscal cliff. Bills introduced last week would have replaced the RTA with a new entity called the Northern Illinois Transit Authority that would be given broad planning authority. But after months of behind-the-scenes negotiations, lawmakers only began publicly sharing their ideas for revenue generation to avert the fiscal cliff on Thursday. Those ideas included a 50 cent tollway tax that got shut down after fierce opposition from organized labor and suburban lawmakers and a $1.50 retail delivery fee that garnered similarly ferocious opposition from powerful business groups. Shortly before May 31 gave way to June 1, the Senate approved a version of the bill that would have included the $1.50 package delivery fee. But the bill, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Ram Villivalam, was never called for a vote in the House. The legislature adjourned in the early hours of Sunday morning without passing any transit legislation at all. While the General Assembly has been engaged in negotiations over ways to overhaul public transit in the Chicago area for months, if not longer, state Rep. Kam Buckner, one of the sponsors of the House's transit reform bill, noted the Senate's approach was different than the House's in that the Senate decided to include revenue options in its proposal while the House wanted to discuss operational fixes first before getting into how it'd all be funded. Buckner noted that he and Chicago Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, the main sponsor of the House's transit bill, were among the key House Democratic negotiators for the entire state budget, and Buckner said he was concerned about a transit revenue vote in the House derailing the budget talks. Buckner also said the House wasn't aware that the $1.50 delivery proposal from the Senate was a possibility, 'which is why we never talked about it with our folks.' All in all, he felt it would have been 'disingenuous' and 'irresponsible' to ask fellow House members to vote on the bill without being more familiar with its revenue proposals. 'It jeopardizes the integrity of what we've built in the House and we made the right call,' Buckner said of the House's decision to not call the bill. In a statement on Monday, Villivalam reiterated his consistent message on the issue that 'there will be no funding without reform' and said he looked forward to working with Delgado and Buckner 'to get this package of reforms and funding across the finish line.' Do lawmakers still have time to avert the fiscal cliff? Yes. Lawmakers could go back to Springfield later this year to pass transit legislation that would plug the funding gap. Any laws passed after the end of May taking effect before June 2026 require three-fifths approval in both chambers to pass, which makes the path forward more difficult than it was on May 31. While lawmakers will be scheduled to return to Springfield for the fall veto session, most likely in October or November, there's nothing stopping them from reconvening before that. Lawmakers had already left the door open to the possibility of coming back to the Capitol in the summer if they need to shore up the state budget in response to any federal action from President Donald Trump that could cause Illinois to lose critical federal funding. Meanwhile, the RTA said, transit agencies will have to make their budgets for next year assuming they're not going to get any more money. The RTA has said that layoffs could be announced as early as September. It's not clear exactly what might happen if transit workers are told they are facing layoffs and then the legislature, weeks or months later, passes a law ensuring more funding. 'It's going to be chaotic,' said P.S. Sriraj, the director of the Urban Transportation Center at the University of Illinois Chicago. Workers who get pink-slipped would have to start looking for other jobs, he said. Then, if agencies learn they have more funding available and can start ramping up plans for more service, they may have to go out and hire new employees. 'You're now behind the 8-ball,' said Sriraj, who added that he believed the legislature would ultimately find funding for transit. Buckner also indicated he understood the urgency for the state to come up with a solution on transit while the CTA is in the midst of crafting their budget. 'It's very clear to me that they need some stability and need some certainty to know what to do if they're going to balance their books,' said Buckner. What would service cuts look like on the CTA, Metra and Pace? Service cuts throughout the Chicago metro area would be drastic if the legislature doesn't take further action, transit agencies have warned. Service on half of the CTA's eight rail lines could be cut entirely or at least on whole branches of the line, the RTA has said. More than 50 'L' stations could close or see drastic service cuts. Frequencies on remaining rail lines would be cut between10 to 25%. And as many as 74 out of the CTA's 127 bus routes — close to 60% of them — could be eliminated. That could leave Chicago with fewer bus routes than Madison, Wi. or Kansas City, according to the RTA. On Metra, early morning and late evening trains would be cut. Trains might run only once an hour on weekdays and once every two hours on weekends. The Metra Electric Blue Island Branch might be slashed entirely. On Pace buses, weekend service could be cut entirely. Federally-mandated ADA paratransit service would still exist, but its service area could be slashed by 66% on the weekends. And as more people take to their cars because of diminished service, traffic throughout the area — which is already among the worst in the nation — could worsen. Which CTA train lines and bus routes would be eliminated? Which 'L' stations would close? We don't know exactly where service will be cut. Here's what we do know about the process: This month, the RTA will give the CTA, Metra and Pace directions for the creation of their 2026 budgets. RTA spokesperson Tina Fassett Smith said in a statement over the weekend that its budget must, by law, 'only include funding we are confident the system will receive in 2026.' It will then be up to the agencies to decide how to adjust their planned service for next year. Staff at each agency will prepare proposals and budgets will be released publicly in the fall. As is the case in a typical year, each agency will hold public budget hearings in October or November. Because the agencies receive federal funding, they will almost certainly go through a Title VI process to make sure that any proposed cuts — or fare increases — do not disproportionately impact people of color or low-income people. For instance, the agencies will have to show that if they are cutting service 40% for riders overall, they are not cutting service by a significantly higher percentage for Black riders or low-income riders. If there will be a disparate impact from proposed cuts, they will have to show that they are taking steps to mitigate those effects. The Title VI process would include public hearings with the opportunity for riders to share their concerns. As the agencies evaluate where to cut service, said Sriraj, they'll be weighing Title VI responsibilities along with ridership metrics on various routes and lines and the availability of alternative modes of transit near routes slated for cuts. The respective boards of the CTA, Metra and Pace would ultimately be responsible for approving any proposed cuts or fare hikes. When would service cuts begin? Cuts would begin in January at the earliest. Maggie Daly Skogsbakken, a spokesperson for Pace, said that though the agency's budget would take effect Jan. 1, it's possible the cuts would not take effect until later into the year. She also said that in the past, the agency has phased in large service changes rather than make them all at once. That could happen in this case, she said. Metra spokesperson Michael Gillis similarly said the soonest cuts would begin would be in January. The CTA did not directly address a question about when cuts would take effect, but said in a statement it would 'plan for a number of scenarios that could occur in 2026.' 'We are committed to working on behalf of our riders and employees, and we look forward to continuing the work to secure funding for Chicago-area public transit,' the agency said.
Time Out
02-06-2025
- Business
- Time Out
Steep service cuts could be coming to Chicago public transit—here's why
Chicago's transit future just missed its train. State legislators wrapped their spring session this weekend without passing a critical funding and reform package meant to plug a $770 million hole in the Regional Transportation Authority's 2026 budget, as reported by WTTW. Now, with federal COVID relief money set to expire, the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace are staring down a fiscal cliff—and the consequences could be dire. If nothing changes, officials warn the region could see 40-percent system-wide service cuts beginning in 2026, along with nearly 3,000 layoffs. The CTA alone may be forced to shut down half of its L lines and eliminate 60-percent of its bus routes, a move that would cut off service for 500,000 Chicagoans and strand 260,000 workers. RTA leaders have called it a 'regional emergency.' The funding fix that almost was was a bill championed by state Senator Ram Villivalam that paired governance reform with a bundle of controversial taxes, including a $1.50 delivery fee on food and packages and a rideshare surcharge. It passed the Senate late Saturday, but never made it to a House vote before the deadline struck midnight. 'It's clear that many in both the House and Senate support transit,' said RTA spokesperson Tina Fassett Smith, per WGN. 'Balancing regional interests is challenging, but we are ready to continue our work to achieve consensus and deliver a solution.' Under the proposed legislation, the RTA would've been restructured as the Northern Illinois Transit Authority, overseeing a unified fare system and capital planning across the three transit agencies. Governor JB Pritzker expressed support for reforms but emphasized that funding without accountability is a non-starter. 'You can't put money into something that doesn't guarantee [safety and reliability] at the start,' he said, according to The Chicago Tribune. The fallout could ripple well beyond city limits. Metra may slash early and late trains, Pace could drop weekend service and ADA paratransit would shrink by two-thirds. The region could lose an estimated $2.6 billion in GDP annually and see 90 million fewer transit trips.
