CHICAGO (WGN) — A pair of state lawmakers on Wednesday said they’re looking for solutions to the regions transit woes that will serve commuters for decades to come.
The Regional Transportation Authority, which coordinates the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace, is facing a $770 million fiscal cliff effective Dec. 31 when federal COVID relief funds run out. The transit agencies had asked Springfield to give them a $1.5 billion investment to fend off deep cuts to service, but lawmakers ended the recent legislative session and passed a state budget that ignored the shortfall.
"There is still time for us to ensure that there are not any services cuts or job losses," State Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) said in an afternoon virtual discussion hosted by Lincoln Forum, the Union League Club and the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois.
The Chicago area is not alone in facing budgetary concerns; declining ridership and the end the federal funding has systems in Boston, San Francisco and Washington, DC also feeling the pinch.
In Illinois, leaders say the solutions lie in reforming the systems with ideas put forth in House Bill 3438.
"This legislation would create an office of public safety to address a lot of the safety challenges we’ve been hearing about, create a transit ambassador program, create a new main entity … the Northeast Illinois Transit Authority that has state representation in addition to the collars … suburban Cook and the City of Chicago. It would promote integration," Villivalam said.
"One of the things that we’re still working through on the House side is talking about what that revenue mix looks like and making sure that whatever it is that we put up on the board that it is sustainable, that it is progressive, and that it’s something that we know is going to invest in that system," State Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado (D-Chicago) added.
While funding is needed, lawmakers said they’re also looking at ways to improve the rider experience.
"One of the heartbreaking testimonies we heard was about a veteran who has to take four transfers to get to [Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Administration Hospital]. That’s insane. That’s unacceptable," Villivalam said, referencing a bit of the 35 hours of testimony given by constituents.
Delgado was among the lawmakers who traveled to Germany within the last year to see what they could learn from the thriving transit system there and implement here.
"One of the things they did was they created unified boards that oversaw multiple transit agencies. When you saw how that functioned, it was very functional," she said.
For now, the officials said they’ll continue to look at possible solutions to present a well-rounded piece of legislation that will lead to smooth rides for commuters.
"There is a serious commitment by both chambers and the governor to ensure that there isn’t actual cuts to service and/or job losses," Villivalam said.
There is no word on if lawmakers will be called back to Springfield for a special session on the matter, but both Villivalam and Delgado said they’re open to hearing possible solutions.
