Contact Contact

Invest in Transit: Now is the time to act.

January 18, 2018

Spcover1

All great cities and regions have robust transit systems, and those that don’t are racing to build them. Public transportation is a cornerstone of any great city’s existence. Not only do we have one, but we have the second largest in the country!

With that big picture in mind, we want people to focus on how to protect and enhance our investment in transit, one that has been built upon for decades and is at a crucial stage, where continued under-investment is pushing the limits of how hard the system can work to keep it all moving, and where our investment is at risk.

Now is the time to act.

The RTA Board of Directors today approved Invest in Transit, the 2018-2023 Regional Transit Strategic Plan.  This new regional plan sets a bold, yet practical, vision for “public transit as the core of the region’s robust transportation mobility network.” Our intention is that this plan lays out the what, where and why investment is needed for transit in the region. We should be investing $2 to $3 billion in capital each year to keep our system in good shape and move forward with new innovations.  However, we’re currently not even investing half of that each year.

A companion document, Invest in Transit Priority Projects, describes specific, tangible capital priorities for CTA, Metra, and Pace.  A portion of the funding required to advance some of these projects is programmed in the current Transit Agency capital programs, yet all are still underfunded or un-funded, with a regional need totaling $30 billion over the next ten years.

RTA, CTA, Metra and Pace (Transit Agencies) are already doing what we can with fare increases, TIF funding, and other local solutions to the problem.  Ultimately, we must find a sustainable funding source that will enable us to continue to provide excellent service to our riders and fund the capital projects that will keep us competitive.

The plan adopted today is the culmination of two years of research, close collaboration with the Transit Agencies, and outreach to a network of stakeholders.  Public input was encouraged through hearings and online comments late last year.

Over the next couple of weeks on the blog, I’ll be taking a closer look at the goals and strategies of the Strategic Plan to show all the benefits of investing in transit. Stay tuned!

Subscribe to our Newsletter

* indicates required
Type your email address here
What emails would you like to receive from the RTA
Tagged in: RTAMS

Related Articles

RTA ADA AWARENESS 2020 1 RTA celebrates 30 years of the Americans with Disabilities Act

This month the RTA is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA transformed society and provided opportunities f...

July 29, 2020
Pace Buses 3569195969 1588881889263 Take a survey to help improve mobility options for older adults and people with disabilities

Do you or someone you know face transportation challenges? The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) wants to hear from you about transportation issues and...

May 7, 2020
Transportation Tuesday Event Brite Banner V3 004 Transportation Tuesday Webinar Series: Attend the 2020 RTA Annual Planning Workshop Virtually

The RTA is launching a four-part webinar series in place of the Annual Planning Workshop due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The free, virtual sessions wil...

April 17, 2020
Call Banner 3485388325 1590696008966 Announcing the 2020 Access to Transit Program Call for Projects for Small-Scale Capital Projects

We are excited to announce that the call for projects for the RTA  Access to Transit Program is now open. The RTA launched the Access to Transit program in 2...

March 13, 2020
22 RTA 0646 Happy International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month from the RTA

Each year the RTA celebrates Women’s History Month in March to recognize the women who work at, and ride, CTA, Metra, and Pace every day. The celebration coi...

March 8, 2020
Survey image How's Your Ride? Take This Survey

We’d like to hear your thoughts about public transit!  The RTA is sponsoring a system-wide customer satisfaction survey and would like your feedback about yo...

March 2, 2020
RTA
CTA
Metra
Pace
Copyright © 2022 Regional Transportation Authority. All Rights Reserved.