“ Federal, state and local leaders need to continue to work together to ensure the Chicago region’s prominence as the nation’s transportation hub. We must look at innovative ways to secure funding to maintain and improve our road, rail and transit systems..”
       — Jeffery D. Schielke, Mayor, City of Batavia, and Chairman, Transportation Committee

 

A. Reauthorization of SAFETEA-LU

The 273 Mayors of the metropolitan Chicago intend to work with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the Regional Transportation Authority, the State of Illinois, various local governments and agencies and the Illinois congressional delegation to build consensus on a strategy for the next federal reauthorization which will reverse the under-investment cities and metro regions have experienced. Because metro areas like Chicago are the engines of the nation’s economy, a major investment in metro area highway, transit and rail systems will help stimulate much-needed economic growth and job creation.

The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus has identified the following strategic principles that its member Mayors recommend be included in any reauthorization legislation:

  • increase federal funding levels overall to meet critical needs for rehabilitation and new capacity;
  • increase Illinois’ and the Chicago region’s share of formula-driven funds;
  • preserve the basic structure of SAFETEA-LU in the reauthorization legislation;
  • ensure adequate CMAQ funding for northeastern Illinois;
  • maintain the firewalls and guaranteed funding levels for transit, highway and safety programs;
  • increase the cooperative sub-allocation of funds to municipalities, counties and transportation agencies through metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs); and
  • maintain SAFETEA-LU’s innovative programs, such as flexible funding provisions.

B. CREATE Freight Rail Project Funding

The Mayors Caucus thanks Congress for allocating $100 million in the last transportation reauthorization bill for the CREATE Freight Rail Project. These funds, along with $100 million that has been committed by the State of Illinois, another $100 million from the railroads and $20 million from the City of Chicago, are an excellent down payment on the $2.56 billion needed to fully fund all of the projects in the CREATE plan.

The Mayors Caucus intends to work with IDOT and the railroads to urge the members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation to:

  • pursue funding opportunities for CREATE through the proposed economic recovery and reinvestment legislation;
  • develop a coalition to lobby on the federal level to create a national rail policy as part of a new transportation bill; and
  • lobby for full funding for CREATE in the next reauthorization bill.

C. State Capital Program

While the State passed a capital bill last year, full funding for it, however, has yet to be secured. The 273 Mayors of the Chicago area ask the Governor and the General Assembly to resolve the funding situation as soon as possible so that the State’s capital improvement plan can be implemented without further delay.