CHICAGO (Feb. 26, 2025) – Our region’s public transit system is facing an imminent crisis as federal relief funds that have propped up the system in the wake of COVID will be exhausted by 2026. While ridership is rebounding, revenues will fall short of the annual operating funds needed by $750 million.

Graphic courtesy of Regional Transportation Authority (RTA)

This page offers information about the various proposals and plans to reform and reimagine our regional transit system.

News

Competing visions for mass transit overhaul emerge in Springfield
By John Pletz, Crain’s Chicago Business
Published February 11, 2025

Debate over the future of CTA, Metra, Pace, RTA to heat up in Springfield this year
By Sarah Freishtat, Chicago Tribune
Published January 12, 2025

Legislation

The Metropolitan Mobility Authority Act (SB0005), which was filed by Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago), proposes consolidation of RTA and the service boards (CTA, Metra, and Pace) into the Metropolitan Mobility Authority.

The Labor Alliance for Public Transportation backs the United We Move Illinois proposal (SB1938), sponsored by state Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) and Assistant House Majority Leader Marcus Evans Jr. (D-Chicago). This bill proposes significant reforms, but not a merger.

The RTA outlines governance and funding needs in its 2025 State Legislative Agenda.

Plans and Studies

The Illinois General Assembly directed CMAP to study regional transit and propose solutions to the so-called “fiscal cliff.” The 2023 Plan of Action for Regional Transit (PART) is a comprehensive study of the challenges facing the system. It includes analyses and recommendations for governance, revenue, investment and operations of the system. It proposes that the region build the system it wants by expanding service and improving rider experience.

RTA proposes Transforming Transit with an investment of $1.5 billion to expand and integrate service.

Analyses

The Metropolitan Planning Council presents analyses of transit issues in their transportation blog posts:

Getting to the Route of It, The Role of Governance in Regional Transit by the Eno Transportation Center examines regional transit governance in Chicago and other urban centers. It was published in 2014.

The RTA commissioned this study, Determining the Equitable Allocation of Public Funding for a Regional Transit System, to examine the process for allocating funding to the service boards.

In 2013, Governor Pat Quinn commissioned the Northeastern Illinois Transit Task Force to determine how transit agencies could be reorganized, streamlined or restructured to ensure greater efficiency, accountability, coordination and transparency.

Presentation

Saving Public Transit in Chicagoland
By the Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC)
January 27, 2025