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The Driving a Cleaner Illinois – Volkswagen award is the largest grant to date from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
MARKHAM, IL, FEB. 7 – Earlier today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) joined Pace and the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) at Pace’s new state-of-the-art Markham Campus Bus Acceptance Facility to celebrate a $27 million award to Pace for the purchase of electric buses and $31.25 million to the RTA (for the Chicago Transit Authority) through “Driving a Cleaner Illinois.” The Driving a Cleaner Illinois – Volkswagen grant opportunity for electric buses to the RTA region are the largest grants that IEPA has announced from the program to date; the previous high was $14 million.
Pace will provide a $9 million match and the RTA will provide a $10.42 million match to the IEPA award. Pace will purchase 27 battery-electric buses (BEBs), and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) will purchase 30-all-electric transit buses to replace the oldest diesel buses in their fleets.
Honored speakers included Governor JB Pritzker, State Senator Napoleon Harris, Markham Mayor Roger Agpawa, IEPA Acting Director James Jennings, RTA Chairman Kirk Dillard, Pace Chairman Rick Kwasneski, and Pace Executive Director Melinda Metzger.
Other guests included State Representative Bob Rita, State Representative Matt Hanson, IDOT Acting Secretary Gia Biagi, Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller, Cook County Commissioner Dr. Kisha E McCaskill, University Park Mayor Joseph Roudez III, and representatives from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth’s Office, U.S. Congresswoman Robin Kelly’s office, State Senator Kyle Hasting’s office, the Village of Robbins, South Suburban Mayors & Managers Association, Chicago Southland Economic Development Council, and South Suburban College.
By transitioning to a zero-emission fleet, our region’s public transportation system aims to significantly reduce harmful pollutants, contributing to healthier communities and a greener future. Pace Chairman Rick Kwasneski welcomed guests and said, “Public transit is more than just buses — it’s about connecting people to jobs, schools, healthcare, and opportunity, and being a good steward of our environment. We are grateful to the Governor’s leadership, which ensures critical, clean energy initiatives move forward."
“Illinoisans of all backgrounds depend on Pace and the CTA. Whether commuting to work, visiting friends and family, or running their everyday errands — the convenience and efficiency of these systems is absolutely essential to their everyday lives,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Pace has added 27 new, fully electric buses – along with 30 that will join the CTA fleet. This is an investment that will help us meet our climate goals, create opportunity for our people, and further connect our communities. Electric buses are vital to the future of transit — clean, reliable, and convenient — and I’m excited to be taking a step toward that future today.”
“Transit is the strongest tool we have in the fight against climate change, and we are grateful for the partnership of the IEPA in leading that fight,” said RTA Board Chair Kirk Dillard. “This investment will improve service and provide cleaner air for Pace and CTA riders in the short term and in the long-term, help us lower greenhouse gas emissions.
“RTA is committed to leading regional grant applications in the future to advance key transit capital priorities for our region,” Dillard continued. “This award from IEPA takes us another step further in meeting our regional commitment of reaching a zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040.”
Driving a Cleaner Illinois is the IEPA’s grant program developed to distribute funding for various types of mobile source electrification projects. The Driving a Cleaner Illinois Program implements funding from a variety of sources, including the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) Program.
“We are thrilled to see this state investment in transit that will allow us to make even greater strides toward our vision of a zero-emission system,” said RTA Executive Director Leanne Redden. “This award not only allows the CTA to make significant progress on greening its bus fleet, but it also helps to enhance service and reliability for all bus riders.”
Grant awards from IEPA to RTA and Pace will be incorporated into the RTA 5-Year Regional Capital Program later this year and future service board bus purchasing plans will incorporate these grants to receive new electric buses in the near future.
“We are grateful to the IEPA and RTA for helping CTA to advance our goal of converting to an all-electric bus fleet — a complex and challenging undertaking that includes replacing 1,800 buses and making the upgrades and capital investments necessary to support them,” said Acting CTA President Nora Leerhsen. “These grant funds will make a significant contribution towards a greener future for CTA as we move ahead with ‘Charging Forward: CTA’s Bus Electrification Planning Report’ — the first-ever roadmap for the full electrification of our entire bus fleet.”
The Illinois EPA has been designated as the lead agency to administer funds allocated to Illinois from the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust. Illinois’ initial allocation of funds is approximately $108 million to be used to fund mobile source diesel emission reduction projects. The funds are to be used for projects that reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides in Illinois.
“Emissions from diesel powered transit buses negatively impact air quality in the communities they serve and the region as a whole,” said Illinois EPA Acting Director James Jennings. “Through the VW settlement funding and additional cost-sharing commitments from both Pace and RTA/CTA, these projects represent a $77 million investment in clean transportation that will benefit communities throughout the Chicago area.”
“This investment will provide climate-friendly transit options that improve mobility and quality of life for people across the region,” said Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi. “Under Governor Pritzker’s leadership, we are working closely with our transit partners to make our entire transportation system safe, reliable, and green.”
“It's refreshing to see how something that began as a challenge for Volkswagen has been turned into a positive force for change, furthering both our region’s and the state’s pollution reduction goals. This transformation underscores the real impact of investing in clean transportation solutions,” said Pace Executive Director Melinda Metzger.
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Chicago Transit Authority announced Wednesday that chief of staff Nora Leerhsen will take over as acting president of the transit agency when current President Dorval Carter Jr. retires at the end of the month.
"I look forward to serving our riders and employees in this new role. This is a critical time for our agency and for the future of public transit," Leerhsen said in a news release. "As acting president, I will build on our accomplishments as an agency and am confident that we are up to the task of carrying CTA successfully through this transition."
Leerhsen takes over the role on Sunday, Feb. 1, the day after Carter's retirement.
The CTA noted that Leerhsen is the first woman to lead the agency in its 77-year history.
She has been with the CTA since 2014, and served in her first four years several capacities—including senior advisor to the chief of staff and chief operating officer and deputy chief of staff. She also worked in the CTA safety and law departments on agencywide audits, ethics matters, and safety compliance, the CTA said.
Leerhsen became chief of staff of the CTA in 2018. In that role, she has overseen all operations—including service delivery, capital planning, employee programming, and communications strategy. She also served as the primary liaison to the Mayor's office, CTA Board, Chicago city departments and agencies, and RTA and service boards.
Leerhsen holds a law degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison., a master's degree in social science from the University of Chicago, another master's degree in education from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, and a bachelor's degree from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
Carter announced Monday that he will be retiring at the end of the month after 40 years of service in public transportation. He is leaving the CTA to become the head of St. Anthony Hospital in North Lawndale.
Carter has been on the job nearly 10 years, but over the last year, pressure has been ratcheted up to remove him amid questions of safety, cleanliness, and timeliness of buses and trains. He faced criticism, and calls for his resignation made headlines last year.
RTA releases “Transforming Transit,” a vision for $1.5 billion in additional annual operating funding, which could lower customer wait times by 50 percent, improve public safety, and create the seamless transit system the Chicago region deserves
CHICAGO, January 15, 2025 – Announced with a speech by Chairman Kirk Dillard at the City Club of Chicago today, the Regional Transportation Authority of Northeastern Illinois (RTA) released “Transforming Transit,” a $1.5 billion vision aimed at shaping the future of transit funding and governance ahead of the 2025 legislative session which must resolve transit’s historic funding gap.
Like many other transit systems across the country, the Chicago region’s system is facing a fiscal cliff beginning in 2026. The $770 million gap represents 20 percent of the regional operating budget. The Illinois legislature must put forth a sustainable funding solution by the end of its spring session this May to avoid service cuts and fare increases at catastrophic and unprecedented levels. The agency, along with CTA, Metra, Pace, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and advocacy organizations, are advocating for $1.5 billion in new annual operating funding from state and local sources to not only fill the budget gap but double down on service in ways that will increase ridership, stimulate the economy, and mitigate climate change. “Transforming Transit” lays out what improvements to the system could be possible with this level of sustainable operations funding coupled with governance reforms aimed at improving rider experience regionwide.
“Our regional transit system has been drastically underfunded for decades; while systems in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia get up to 50 percent of their funding from their state governments, state funding here makes up about 17 percent,” said RTA Executive Director Leanne Redden. “We know our riders deserve world-class service. To provide it, we need to secure sustainable funding. And this document describes exactly what our riders and our region could get out of this level of investment.”
With $1.5 billion in additional operating funding from state and local sources and continued capital investment, service investments would include more frequency on existing routes, route extensions, more routes offering weekend and off-peak service, or new routes. Adequate funding would allow a strengthened RTA to oversee region-wide service standards that cut customer wait times for transit by as much as 50 percent. Examples of potential rider impacts include:
More frequent, reliable and expanded service will be transformative for transit users, saving time and money while opening new possibilities on travel and connection across the region.
The RTA is proposing a historic restructuring of the region’s transit governance to maximize the impact of new operating funding and ensure all riders experience an improved, reliable, efficient, integrated transit network.
While seeking new funds, the RTA is working with CTA, Metra and Pace to increase efficiencies and achieve cost savings. RTA is proposing that any new operating funding beyond filling the budget gap can only be used for operations to improve and expand service—not to fund administrative or management positions.
A stronger RTA would play a key role in saving costs through consolidating similar functions. The RTA estimates overhead efficiencies of $50 million a year. Additionally, a fare increase of 10 percent would generate $50 million, bringing the agency and rider contribution to partly addressing the cliff to $100 million.
Rather than distributing key responsibilities across organizations as is done today, the RTA’s proposed reforms would result in one agency—the RTA—being accountable to riders and legislators on the most important systemwide issues: fares, service quality and capital investment. State law currently does not empower the RTA to engage proactively in these interrelated areas and doesn’t grant the agency the authority to institute changes and improvements throughout the year.
“Transforming Transit” envisions these reforms resulting in a regional fare policy established by the RTA, regional service standards and enforcement mechanisms, and capital project prioritization based on RTA evaluation and level of need.
To transform the customer experience, a strengthened RTA would serve as the rider hub for fares and customer service, combining many free and reduced fare programs into one and creating the potential to launch additional enhancements, such as a single, unified regional app to ensure access to simple, easy-to-understand fares and discount programs for all riders. Additionally, future investments in rider information solutions can be centrally located at the RTA. For example, this could take the form of:
To realize the vision of transforming the regional transit system, a strengthened RTA with the additional $1.5 billion in annual funding would set minimum performance standards for efficient, reliable and safe transit services in different parts of the region. These standards would include required levels of coverage, hours and frequency by mode and geography, and funding would be allocated in part by operators’ ability to deliver service that meets standards. For example, this could look like:
To fully leverage a transformational investment in transit service, a strengthened RTA would evaluate all major capital projects on key metrics including impact on accessibility, job access, equity and climate as part of project selection and inclusion in the five-year capital program. For example, this could mean:
The vision set forth in “Transforming Transit” is only possible with $1.5 billion annually from state and local sources. If provided the funding to do so, the RTA is prepared to lead, delivering the system riders deserve.
“A Chicago where public transit isn’t just an option, but the obvious choice for travel, is within our reach,” said RTA Board Chair Kirk Dillard. “Frequency unlocks freedom; the freedom to step outside and trust that a bus or train will be there. It’s the kind of freedom that transforms a city, connects a region, and opens doors to opportunity for everyone.”
January 13, 2025
National Public Transit Leader’s Departure Brings Storied 40-Year Career in Public Transportation to a Close
Today, Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. announced that he will retire from leadership of the nation’s third-largest public transit agency, effective Friday, January 31, 2025. Carter’s retirement ends a 40-year career in public transportation that has included nearly 10 years as CTA president.
“The City of Chicago is grateful to President Dorval Carter for his decades of service with the Chicago Transit Authority,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “His leadership reimagined the movement of our city. His stewardship of the Red Line Extension project is just one of the notable achievements in his historic career.”
Carter began his CTA career in September 1984 as a staff attorney and has worked at the agency for a combined 26 years. During that time, he served as acting president, executive vice-president, chief administrative officer and in a number of legal roles, as well. His public transit career has also included nearly 15 years in senior leadership roles at the United States Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
“Serving as president of this great agency has been an extraordinary privilege and I am forever grateful for what has been the opportunity of a lifetime,” said Carter. “It has been an honor to work on behalf of CTA customers and to advance our mission in a city that I love so dearly.”
“President Carter is an internationally recognized and highly respected leader in the public transit industry, and CTA has been fortunate to benefit from his leadership and vision over the past decade as president,” said Chicago Transit Board chairman Lester Barclay. “Since I became chair in 2021, I have seen firsthand his unwavering commitment to equity and his passion for this agency, which is exemplified through transformative projects like the Red Line Extension. His legacy will leave a lasting impact on CTA, and we are grateful for his dedicated service.”
During his tenure as CTA president, Carter has overseen more than $11 billion in projects that have been completed, begun or announced. These projects have included some of the biggest and most ambitious capital projects in CTA history, including the $5.7 billion Red Line Extension (RLE)—the single largest capital construction project in the agency’s history—the $2.1 billion first phase of the Red Purple Modernization Program and billions of dollars in other projects and initiatives, like the $280 million renovation of the 95th/Dan Ryan Terminal, the $203 million Wilson Station Reconstruction project and many other capital construction, modernization or system improvement projects.
Carter is also responsible for several equity-focused initiatives that have received national attention, including:
In 2022, Carter was elected chair of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), a nonprofit international association representing more than 1,500 public and private sector member organizations. He currently serves as chair of APTA’s Bus Manufacturing Task Force, which has recommended immediate actions to support a more competitive and stable bus manufacturing capacity in the United States.
Carter has received numerous prestigious awards and honors, including the Council of University Transportation Centers’ 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award for Transportation Professional and Public Service. He was also the recipient of APTA’s Outstanding Public Transportation Manager Award in 2021, the same year that CTA was recognized with the Outstanding Public Transportation System Award—two of the highest honors in the North American public transportation industry and the first time that an agency and its CEO won those awards in the same year. He was recognized with the 2021 Thomas B. Deen Distinguished Lectureship Award from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine’s Transportation Research Board and, in 2019, he was awarded the 2019 Motorola Foundation Excellence in Public Service Award from the Civic Federation of Chicago.
Carter currently serves in leadership roles for several organizations. He is a co-chair for the Equity in Infrastructure Project, a national initiative that seeks to improve public contracting practices throughout the transportation industry. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for Mpact, a national nonprofit organization that focuses on the intersection of transit, mobility, land use and development. He also served as chair of the Board of Trustees for Carroll University, his alma mater.
In the coming weeks, Carter will assume leadership of Saint Anthony Hospital on Chicago’s West Side, where he will serve as president and CEO. Carter served on Saint Anthony’s Board for more than a decade, most recently as Board chair, and he will continue to utilize his significant management skills and experience in his new role. He will continue a long family tradition of serving Saint Anthony Hospital, where his father, Dr. Dorval R. Carter, Sr., worked for 40 years and served for more than 10 years as chair of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department.
Last budget before operating fiscal cliff crisis foreshadows risk for regional transit’s future without a sustainable funding solution
CHICAGO, DEC. 19, 2024 – The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Board of Directors voted today to adopt the 2025 regional transit operating budget and 2025-2029 capital program, the last one supported by federal COVID relief dollars before an operating fiscal cliff threatens our region’s transit system and puts current double-digit ridership growth at risk.
The 2025 budget includes $4.147 billion in operating expenses for northeastern Illinois’ transit system, and a 2025-2029 Regional Capital Program of $9.469 billion, a significant increase from previous capital programs, in large part due to federal and local funds for the Red Line Extension being programmed.
Despite funding challenges, the region’s transit system continues to recover ridership, improve safety and security, and deliver transit options riders need. The system provides more than 1.2 million rides per day, with special events and off-peak trips outpacing pre-pandemic ridership numbers. Each agency has seen double-digit year-over-year growth, thanks to service expansions that would not have been possible without federal COVID relief dollars. In places where more service was added, riders have returned.
Looking ahead, 2026 will be a critical pivot point when all COVID relief money will be spent, and the region will face a choice. Absent sustainable funding for transit operations, the system falls off the fiscal cliff, dramatic service cuts lead to immediate drops in ridership, making the budget gap larger and harder to solve. Or we invest in our region, securing sustainable funding and ridership grows with more service on the street.
The budget gap, which equals 20 percent of the region’s operations budget, translates to a 40 percent cut in service across all operators, which would be devastating for the region and would set off a downward spiral that would be nearly impossible to escape. On the other hand, increasing annual operating funding by at least $1.5 billion a year from current levels allows the transit agencies to expand and improve service -- for example, expanding Pace Pulse, increasing frequency across Metra lines, and overhauling CTA’s bus service to work better for riders.
“In 2025, the region faces a critical decision for the future. Inaction will doom the Chicago region’s transit system to fall off the fiscal cliff and face cuts that make the system worse, or we can work together to achieve investment at levels that will unlock the region’s potential and meet our shared goals on equity, climate change, and rider experience,” said Executive Director Leanne Redden.
Chicago ranks fifth worldwide for worst congestion, and a 40 percent reduction in service would add 366 million vehicle miles to our already congested roads while costing the region $50 million a year in lost productivity. But importantly, it hurts our residents, costing them more than $1,600 a year and taking away precious time they could be spending with their families or just not sitting in traffic.
The greatest risk we face right now is inaction. The State must act in the first half of 2025 to secure the future of the Chicago region’s transit system. If Illinois does not act by spring 2025, CTA, Metra and Pace will be forced to shift their focus from improvements and expansion to prepare for drastic service cuts and fare increases to balance their budgets.
Influx of capital funding helps achieve regional goals, but need operational funds to support
The 2025 budget also details the 2025-2029 Regional Capital Program of $9.469 billion, which is $3.5 billion larger than the 2024-2028 Capital Program, in large part due to funds for the Red Line Extension. Major investment from state and federal legislation has been a good first step, but the unmet need remains great. The 10-year regional capital funding need for all the priority projects in this budget totals $42.7 billion, but the vast majority of that need (more than 75 percent) remains unfunded.
This budget continues to implement the RTA Regional Transit Strategic Plan, Transit is the Answer, which was adopted in February 2023. That plan set a vision of safe, reliable, accessible public transportation that connects people to opportunity, advances equity, and combats climate change. That vision and the plan’s principles of Equity, Stewardship, and Commitment to Change, guide this budget and the work of the regional transit system going forward.
The 2025 budget will continue to make great strides toward achieving the goals of the plan. For example, on the action item to “Accelerate the transition to a zero-emission regional transit system and prioritize communities burdened by poor air quality,” 82% of Pace’s 2025-2029 Capital Program will be used to replace diesel buses with electric buses. Between CTA and Pace, the regional capital program funds the purchase of nearly 300 electric buses. Major projects like the Red Line Extension will advance equity and ongoing work between the Service Boards and help to ensure the transit system is connecting people to opportunity.
The funds and years of work put in to make progress on investing in the region’s infrastructure cannot be fully leveraged without an investment in transit operations to keep the buses and trains running at the frequency riders need.
The budget and capital program were released for public comment on Nov. 15, and the RTA presented to all six county boards in the region and held a virtual public hearing on Dec. 3, which followed similar hearings and comment periods by CTA, Metra and Pace for their respective budgets. These materials and activities are documented on the RTA’s website, and the 2025-2029 Capital Program is also available on RTAMS, the RTA’s mapping and statistics website.
Since the adoption of “Transit is the Answer,” the RTA has launched and grown a coalition of transit supporters. The Transit is the Answer Coalition meets quarterly with more than 100 members to discuss key initiatives of plan implementation, including safety and security, affordable fares and more. These conversations have directly guided programs as they have been developed and will continue in 2025. Join the coalition and subscribe to the RTA newsletter for updates.
Contact:
Melissa Meyer, Communications Manager (312-913-3121, Melissa.Meyer@RTAChicago.org)
New budget prioritizes service enhancements, employee development and system modernization to exceed pre-pandemic service levels and ridership
The Chicago Transit Board today approved the Chicago Transit Authority’s $2.16 billion operating budget for 2025, a strategic plan designed to maintain current fares, enhance bus and rail services beyond pre-pandemic levels and support continued investments in infrastructure and technology. The budget aims to further elevate the transit experience by prioritizing investments that address what’s most important to our riders, including system security, accessibility, reliability and safety.
“We are setting a course for a transit system that surpasses our service delivery, ridership levels and quality from 2019,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “This budget reinforces our commitment to modernize the CTA, both in terms of service and infrastructure, while keeping our riders’ needs at the forefront. Our employees have been essential to CTA’s progress, and with this budget, we will continue to strengthen our workforce, improve accessibility and expand services.”
The approved budget reflects an 8.1 percent increase over 2024’s budget. Key initiatives include ongoing workforce recruitment and training to maintain elevated service levels, especially during peak hours, and implementing enhanced customer communication tools. These enhancements aim to deliver a safer, more reliable and seamless transit experience. The CTA is also earmarking $3.3 million (or 5 percent of the Security budget), which will be used to solicit community input for the development of future pilots aimed at improving public safety.
A major achievement in 2024, included returning bus operator staffing to pre-pandemic levels, which improved service reliability with 98.1% of scheduled bus service delivered as of August. Rail services have also seen marked improvements, with service levels now restored to pre-pandemic levels, and service reliability reaching 96 percent. CTA is on track to meet its goal of training 200 new rail operators by the end of the year.
CTA’s separate $6.96 billion Capital Improvement Program for 2025-2029 emphasizes critical projects to strengthen infrastructure, promote accessibility, and support new technology. Highlights include:
More information on the 2025 budget is available at transitchicago.com/finance.
Proposed operating budget holds the line on fares, and not only maintain current service levels, but aims to continue building on recent successes
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) today proposed a $2.16 billion operating budget that keeps fares at current levels, delivers more bus and rail service hours than provided in 2019, and fuels new and ongoing investments to either expand or modernize existing infrastructure, while also evolving current systems to meet modern transit riding needs.
The proposed spending budget reflects an 8.1 percent increase (or $161.1 million) over the previous year’s budget and supports CTA’s ongoing workforce initiatives for hiring, training and retaining key operations personnel to provide service levels that exceed 2019/pre-pandemic levels.
This proposed operating budget also offers opportunities for the CTA to continue to innovate and seek out new measures for improving key areas of the transit riding experience, including enhanced customer communications; improved transit connections and services; and ongoing investments to provide cleaner, brighter, safer, more modern and accessible facilities.
“Our workforce of 10,000 has put forth an impressive effort to ensure CTA either reached its goals or is on the path to do so by the end of the year -- including increasing ridership, restoring our service levels to pre-pandemic levels, and making significant progress in advancing system improvements,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “And I am truly excited about what’s in store for 2025 as we build on this momentum and look to add even more service, improve accessibility, begin work to expand our system, and continue our investments in our personnel, infrastructure and fleets.”
Progress Made in 2024
At the start of 2024, CTA set-out to address three major goals: continue building ridership; strengthen our workforce; and restore bus and service levels to pre-pandemic levels.
The CTA, plus regional transit agencies Metra and Pace, are facing a post-pandemic fiscal cliff—a $730 million combined budget shortfall expected in FY2026. This deficit is a direct result of an inadequate state funding formula, passed in 1983, that has been further exacerbated by the ridership and revenue declines caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. While there has been increased public transit funding since 1983, many of those funding changes have not kept up with the cost of employee wages and pension payments which required systemwide service cuts in the past to afford.
Despite the financial challenges, the CTA continues to look for ways to operate more efficiently and effectively, while also lobbying and appealing elected officials to reimagine how public transit is funded. With a new funding formula and support for transit equity from elected officials, CTA can make transformational change in terms of how it supports and provides transit service in the Chicago region.
Plans for 2025 and Beyond
The CTA’s 2025-2029 Capital Improvement Program—which is separate from the agency’s operating budget—calls for $6.96 billion in projects over the next five years. This budget reflects CTA’s ongoing commitment towards the modernization and improvement of its physical infrastructure—tracks, rail stations, buses and trains, facilities and technologies.
Key capital projects to continue or begin in 2025 include:
Red and Purple Modernization (RPM) Phase One: Substantial completion of Phase One project work in 2025, which includes the reconstruction of the Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn and Bryn Mawr Red Line stations and adjacent track structures.
Red Line Extension (RLE): The anticipated start of work to extend the CTA’s busiest rail line to the southern City limits is anticipated in 2025. This transformational project will provide greatly improved transit access and connectivity to the Far South Side of Chicago.
All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP): In 2025, CTA plans to open six newly accessible stations: Lawrence, Berwyn, Bryn Mawr, and Argyle as part of the Red Purple Modernization (RPM) Phase One Project; Racine as part of the Forest Park Branch Rebuild; and the Austin on the Green Line. Further, approximately $37 million in funding has been secured for systemwide elevator replacement work, which is also expected to begin in 2025.
Rail and Bus Fleet Modernization: Increased production of the 7000-series–CTA’s newest generation of railcars. Plus, ongoing quarter-life overhauls of the agency’s 5000-series. Plus, the continuation of efforts to gradually update our facilities to support the operation of electric buses.
Operations Control and Training Facility: Advancement of plans to construct a new
state-of-the-art facility in the West Garfield Park neighborhood to house the CTA's 24/7 control center, which oversees all bus, rail, and power operations, as well as over 250 employees. The facility will also serve as the primary training center for CTA's workforce of over 10,000 employees.
More information on the proposed 2025 budget is at transitchicago.com/finance/.
A public hearing will be held on Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. at CTA headquarters located at 567 W. Lake Street, second floor conference room, Chicago, Illinois 60661. The facility is accessible to people with disabilities.
At the public hearing, an American Sign Language interpreter and a Spanish interpreter will be provided. Individuals with disabilities who require other accommodations to review the budget or provide feedback should contact the Office of the Board Secretary at Boardoffice@transitchicago.com or by calling 312-681-5022 or contact Relay.
CTA will afford an opportunity for interested persons or agencies to be heard at the public hearing with respect to social, economic, environmental and other related aspects of the Proposed 2025-2029 Capital Program of Projects, 2025 Operating Budget and Program and the Financial Plan for 2026 and 2027. Written and oral comments will be taken into consideration prior to adoption of the Proposed 2025-2029 Capital Program of Projects, 2025 Operating Budget and Program and the Financial Plan for 2026 and 2027.
WRITTEN STATEMENTS. Written comments may be submitted for consideration in the following manner: by correspondence addressed to Chicago Transit Authority, Office of the Board Secretary, 567 W. Lake Street, Chicago, Illinois 60661; by hand delivery to the above address turned in to the first floor mail room; by fax to 312-681-5035; or by email to Boardoffice@transitchicago.com. Written comments must be submitted by 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 12, 2024.
ORAL STATEMENTS. Members of the public who wish to speak at the public hearing are encouraged to register prior to the hearing, by completing and submitting a Request to Speak form online at transitchicago.com/finance by 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Persons wishing to provide an in-person oral statement at the public hearing will be announced to deliver their remarks during the public hearing. Persons wishing to deliver their remarks via dial-in must indicate the dial-in option on the Request to Speak form. Registered speakers who have opted to dial-in will be called by CTA, at the telephone number provided on their Request to Speak form, during the Thursday, November 7, 2024 hearing to be connected to the public hearing proceedings.
REGISTRATION AT THE TIME OF THE HEARING. Members of the public may also make in-person requests while the hearing is in process. Such requests will be accepted between 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 7, 2024. Individuals who pre-register to speak will be heard first. Individuals who request to speak while the hearing is in progress will then speak in the order their request was received.
Chicago Transit Board approves contract to design and build the RLE, including four, fully accessible Red Line stations on the Far South Side; project groundbreaking expected late 2025
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has taken the next major step in the transformational RedLine Extension (RLE) Project by selecting an experienced contracting team, Walsh-VINCI Transit Community Partners, to design and build the 5.6-mile extension of the Red Line from 95th Street to 130th Street, including four new Red Line stations.
The Chicago Transit Board today approved the award of a $2.9 billion contract to Walsh-VINCI Transit Community Partners following a comprehensive, two-year procurement process.
RLE is the largest project in CTA history and will provide faster connections from the Far South Side to the rest of the city while serving as an economic catalyst to one of the most disinvested parts of Chicago. The RLE is a transit equity project that fulfills a commitment to the Far South Side by significantly improving transportation to this part of the city with 5.6 miles of new track and four new fully accessible rail stations at 103rd, 111th, Michigan near 116th and 130th Street.
By selecting the team that provided the best value to design and build the RLE Mainline Project, the CTA has reached yet another significant milestone for this historic project.
The RLE is a critical project for Chicago because:
“The Red Line Extension corrects past transit inequity and increases access to the most affordable transportation in the city. Hiring the contracting team that can provide the best value to the CTA to construct the RLE is a consequential step that demonstrates our vow to build this project,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “The CTA’s Red Line Extension Project is an example of how transportation dollars can be distributed to have lasting impact on the Far South Side including workforce and small business opportunities that create jobs and support families.”
RLE Design-Build Contractor
The Chicago Transit Board today approved the award of a $2.9 billion contract to Walsh-Vinci Transit Community Partners, which will engineer, design and build the Red Line Extension Mainline Project. The contractor was selected following a nearly two-year comprehensive procurement process. The contracting team will be responsible for building the Mainline project, which includes:
Construction is expected to start in late 2025 and be completed by 2030.
To find and select a contractor to design and build the project, CTA underwent a two-step procurement process to select the most qualified contractor that provides the best value to CTA.
The first step was issuing a Request for Qualifications in 2022 to find contracting teams that had the experience and ability to build a large, complex rail project like the Red Line Extension. CTA subsequently qualified three contracting teams, including FH Paschen, Ragnar Benson, Milhouse and BOWA Joint Venture, Kiewit Infrastructure and Walsh-VINCI Transit Community Partners. CTA issued a Draft Request for Proposals to the potential bidders followed by a Final Request for Proposals in September 2023.
Following the rigorous two-year bid process, CTA determined that the proposal submitted by Walsh-VINCI Transit Community Partners provided the best value to CTA. In considering the bids, CTA considered the technical proposals on how the project would be built and the proposed cost. The Walsh-VINCI Transit Community Partners team brings to CTA its local, national and global transit construction experience.
Walsh-Vinci’s proposal was selected because it provided an innovative design and construction approach that will minimize impacts to community. Walsh-VINCI Transit Community Partners includes Walsh Construction, VINCI Construction, EXP, Systra, and other subcontractors.
CTA and the contractor will hold public meetings as design and construction planning begins on this exciting project. The contractor will work closely with local communities and CTA customers on construction impacts to neighborhoods and service.
Project budget and construction costs
The project’s budget has increased to $5.3 billion, which includes financing expenses, to cover cost increases for construction materials, labor and financing. The prior project budget was $3.6 billion before finance charges and $4.1 billion including financing costs. CTA is moving forward with the project to fulfill the long-ago promise to the Far South Side that the RLE would be built. Delaying the project would potentially increase the budget by several billions of dollars. Factors affecting the RLE project budget change include:
CTA intends to secure funding for the budget increase with CTA-issued bonds.
Workforce and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)-certified small businesses
The project will also generate long-lasting economic benefits for the Far South Side via small business and workforce/career opportunities with RLE and CTA, as well as new economic development in the project area.
Walsh-VINCI’s workforce goals for the contract as a percentage of total labor hours includes:
Walsh-VINCI Transit Community Partners has committed to actively talking with union trades, workforce assistance agencies and other transit peers to establish partnerships and pipelines to connect individuals to training and career opportunities.
CTA assessed DBE goals on the contractor for including DBE-certified contractors, including 25 percent for project design and 22 percent for project construction.
Walsh-VINCI Transit Community Partners will host targeted outreach events with CTA to educate potential-DBE firms on the certification process and inform the DBE small business community and career-seekers on upcoming opportunities.
CTA also has various supportive services to assist small businesses including our Driving Small Businesses the Distance monthly webinar, our Small Business Educational Series, and our financial capacity and technical assistance program, Building Small Businesses.
To assist career-seekers interested in the construction industry, CTA has two sets of workforce assistance agency partners to provide training and support. The first group, our pre-apprenticeship providers, include Chicago Women in Trades, Metropolitan Family Services, and Revolution Workshop. The second group, our placement partners, include Chicago Women in Trades and Hire360.
Current project work
CTA announced earlier this year that it will begin performing advance construction work this fall, including demolition of properties acquired for the project and advance utility relocation, which includes removing wires and poles and relocating utility equipment ahead of major construction in late 2025.
Project benefits for surrounding communities
The Red Line Extension will offer many benefits to the Far South Side and its residents, including:
For more information about the Red Line Extension Project, visit CTA Red Line Extension Project - CTA (transitchicago.com)
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CHICAGO, DEC. 14, 2023 – The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Board of Directors voted today to adopt the 2024 regional transit operating budget and 2024-2028 capital program, which uses federal relief funding to support operations as pandemic recovery continues. Making transit more seamless and affordable will remain a focus for the RTA, Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra and Pace.
“In 2024, we anticipate breaking pandemic-era ridership records, and the region’s transit agencies will collaborate in new and innovative ways to provide more reliable, seamless and affordable transit service while advocating together for the increased funding we need to support our system’s future,” said RTA Executive Director Leanne Redden. “Because with increased and sustainable funding, we can achieve a system that will continue to thrive for generations to come.”
The 2024 budget comes nearly a year after release of the new regional transit strategic plan, “Transit is the Answer,” which was adopted in February. That plan set a vision of safe, reliable, accessible public transportation that connects people to opportunity, advances equity and combats climate change.
The 2024 budget includes $3.924 billion for operations — an increase of nearly 10 percent over the adopted 2023 budget, which reflects significant operating expense increases due to continued service investments and added security, as well as inflationary increases in labor, fuel and other expenses.
Federal relief dollars distributed by the RTA early in the pandemic will continue to support transit operations of the CTA, Metra and Pace for the upcoming budget year, but will begin to deplete by the end of 2025. An annual shortfall of more than $730 million is expected starting in 2026, a nearly 20 percent hole in the operating budget that, if unaddressed, would lead to dramatic service cuts, fare increases or both, disrupting the region’s economy, workforce and communities. Sustainable operating and capital funding must be secured not only to close the budget gap, but also to improve the system for the next generation. Building off “Transit is the Answer,” RTA has developed a legislative agenda for 2024 that focuses on securing funds to address the impending budget gap while also reforming transit funding policy to sustain the system into the future.
An estimated 80 percent of pre-pandemic riders have returned to transit in 2023, and while some are riding less frequently, systemwide ridership continued to recover, approaching 60 percent of pre-COVID levels and amounting to more than 1 million rides per weekday. Service adaptations, such as providing additional buses and trains to capture riders who were stuck in Kennedy construction traffic, and fare programs such as continuing the Regional Connect Pass for people to travel seamlessly across all three operators, were just a few examples of how a stronger transit system encourages higher ridership. Additional focus on safety and security, reduced crime and station improvements has helped riders feel confident in the region’s transit system after several years of disruption.
The approved budget also includes the 2024-2028 Regional Capital Program of $5.975 billion, a 4.4 percent increase over the 2023-2027 program. Federal investment from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is flowing to the Chicago region, and funds from the 2019 state law, Rebuild Illinois, continue to be programmed, allowing CTA, Metra and Pace to make progress on the maintenance backlog and work toward regional goals of accessibility, equity and combating climate change. For the first time in this budget, the RTA is evaluating its capital program based on 15 new metrics included in “Transit is the Answer.” These metrics provide different lenses for analyzing the capital program and understanding how it is accomplishing regional objectives with the limited funding available.
The budget and capital program were released for public comment on Nov. 16, and the RTA presented to all six county boards in the region and held a virtual public hearing on Dec. 7, which followed similar hearings and comment periods by CTA, Metra and Pace for their respective budgets. These materials and activities are documented on the RTA’s website, and the 2024-2028 Capital Program is also available on RTAMS, the RTA’s mapping and statistics website. The RTA received over a dozen comments, primarily from residents concerned about the impending fiscal cliff, improved reliability and the progress of bus electrification.
Since the adoption of “Transit is the Answer,” the RTA has launched and grown a coalition of transit supporters. The Transit is the Answer Coalition meets quarterly with more than 100 members to discuss key initiatives of plan implementation, including safety and security, affordable fares and more. These conversations have directly guided programs as they have been developed and will continue in 2024. Join the coalition and subscribe to the RTA newsletter for updates.
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) today proposed a $1.99 billion operating budget that keeps fares at current levels, maintains the delivery of bus and rail services, with plans to add additional service to meet growing ridership demand—all while continuing to make important investments to upgrade and modernize the system.
The proposed spending budget reflects a 9.2 percent increase (or $168.2 million) over the previous year’s budget and supports CTA’s ongoing workforce initiatives for hiring and retaining key operations personnel, while also introducing several new measures that will help improve the overall customer experience with enhanced security and improved Ventra fare system features. This includes a new ChatBot for improved customer service, ongoing work with our transit partners at Metra, Pace and RTA to deliver innovative fare products, plus a new, dedicated program that will provide pre-loaded Ventra Cards to victims and survivors of domestic abuse.
“I deeply believe that an examination of an agency’s budget is all that is required to understand who and what it prioritizes. The CTA’s proposed 2024 budget puts a high premium on providing the highest levels of service, customer comfort, modernization and equity,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “I am pleased with the continued progress and positive trends that CTA continues to make, but we still have work to do to provide the service that I believe our customers deserve and expect. I am committed to returning more scheduled service to our bus and rail systems in 2024.”
CTA ridership grew steadily throughout 2023, reaching a pandemic-era high of more than 25.83. million rides during the month of September. Overall system-wide ridership for 2023 is forecasted to finish 12 percent higher than in 2022. Ridership is projected to increase further in 2024, approximately 5.7 percent over the 2023 forecasted ridership.
The continued strengthening of CTA’s workforce is critical to further improving the delivery of its services.
In 2023, the CTA made tremendous progress toward addressing this issue, hosting seven job fairs that attracted more than 3,000 potential employees, while hiring hundreds of new workers into a variety of positions. As a result of CTA’s ongoing aggressive recruiting efforts, it has already surpassed its goal of hiring 700 new bus operators in 2023, and anticipates hiring more than 900 bus operators by the end of the year.
CTA is also on track to hire approximately 100 bus mechanics in 2023, which is more than double the normal rate. On the rail side, almost 100 flaggers will have been trained and transitioned into rail operator positions by the end of 2023, which is significantly more rail operators trained than the number of rail operators historically trained in a year.
Overall, CTA is projecting to hire more than 2,000 new employees for the current year, also far exceeding the 1,200 annual hiring norm. CTA will continue to plan, monitor, and respond to the shifting employment landscape to meet its people and service needs. As such, CTA anticipates continued optimization of its service schedules to reflect its growing workforce–additional service is expected to be added in 2024.
Since the start of the pandemic, federal funding has been crucial to allow transit agencies across the country, including the CTA, to maintain their operations. Federal funding from the American Rescue Plan will help the CTA close a projected $473 million budget gap in 2024—and allow the agency to continue providing as much service as possible with its available workforce. Despite the financial challenges, the CTA continues to look for ways to operate more efficiently and effectively, and to best serve the region.
“While more and improved funding and investment is unquestionably the most important issue facing CTA finances, our number one priority is always the people who take hundreds of millions of rides on our system every year. It is incumbent upon us to work diligently to find better ways to serve them and improve their travel experience.” Carter added.
The CTA’s 2024-2028 Capital Improvement Program—which is separate from the agency’s operating budget—calls for $3.61 billion in projects over the next five years. This budget reflects CTA’s ongoing commitment towards the modernization and improvement of its physical infrastructure—tracks, rail stations, buses and trains, facilities and technologies. Among the many important investments is the Red Line Extension, which will extend the CTA’s busiest rail line to the southern City limits and will provide greatly improved transit access and connectivity to the Far South Side of Chicago.
Other capital projects to continue or begin in 2024 include:
More information on the proposed 2024 budget is at transitchicago.com/finance/.
A public hearing will be held on Thursday, November 9, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. at CTA headquarters located at 567 W. Lake Street, second floor conference room, Chicago, Illinois 60661. The facility is accessible to people with disabilities.
CTA will afford an opportunity for interested persons or agencies to be heard at the public hearing with respect to the proposed 2024-2028 Capital Program of Projects, 2024 Operating Budget and Program and the Financial Plan for 2025 and 2026. Written and oral comments will be taken into consideration prior to adoption of the proposed 2024-2028 Capital Program of Projects, 2024 Operating Budget and Program and the Financial Plan for 2025 and 2026.
WRITTEN STATEMENTS. Written comments may be submitted for consideration in the following manner: by correspondence addressed to Chicago Transit Authority, Office of the Board Secretary, 567 W. Lake Street, Chicago, Illinois 60661; by hand delivery to the above address turned in to the first floor mail room; by fax to 312-681-5035; or by email to Boardoffice@transitchicago.com. Written comments must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 14, 2023.
ORAL STATEMENTS. Members of the public who wish to speak at the public hearing are encouraged to register prior to the hearing, by completing and submitting a Request to Speak form online at transitchicago.com/finance by 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 7, 2023. Persons wishing to provide an in-person oral statement at the public hearing will be announced to deliver their remarks during the public hearing. Persons wishing to deliver their remarks via dial-in must indicate the dial-in option on the Request to Speak form. Registered speakers who have opted to dial-in will be called by CTA, at the telephone number provided on their Request to Speak form, during the Thursday, November 9, 2023 hearing to be connected to the public hearing proceedings.
REGISTRATION AT THE TIME OF THE HEARING. Members of the public may also make in-person requests while the hearing is in process. Such requests will be accepted between
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 9, 2023. Individuals who pre-register to speak will be heard first. Individuals who request to speak while the hearing is in progress will then speak in the order their request was received.
At the public hearing, an American Sign Language interpreter and a Spanish interpreter will be provided. Individuals with disabilities who require other accommodations to review the budget or provide feedback should contact the Office of the Board Secretary at Boardoffice@transitchicago.com or by calling 312-681-5022 or contact Relay.
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is the second largest public transit agency in the United States with more than 1,800 buses, 1,400 railcars, 9,000 front line operations staff, and a 2019 weekday ridership base of almost 1.5 million. We serve the City of Chicago and 35 surrounding suburbs and we provide more than 80 percent of regional transit rides. CTA is the backbone of Chicago’s and the regional transportation network.
Similar to many industries, public transit was upended by the COVID-19 pandemic as ridership plummeted in March 2020 and commuting patterns changed for the long-term. CTA met this moment by delivering as much service as possible to the essential workers and transit dependent riders of the region throughout the pandemic. As vaccines rolled out and people began to return to a “new normal”, CTA began facing new challenges with a hiring deficit and growing bus and rail operator attrition impacting service delivery.
The COVID-19 pandemic is not over. CTA, along with several industries, is feeling the continued impacts of this new normal on our workforce and service. We are also impacted by other socio-economic conditions of the region we serve. Particularly, instances of crime and unruly behavior on our system are negatively impacting rider experience.
Meeting the Moment: Transforming CTA’s Post-Pandemic Future Action Plan aims to address these issues in the near-term, while also laying the foundation for a long-term transformation of the Agency. Our long-term goal is to align our growing transit network with new mobility patterns and ensure CTA is a first choice of travel for many riders in the region.
This customer-focused action plan is grounded in five key pillars.
These pillars are central to the CTA rider experience, and will be reinforced by near-term strategic investments, initiatives, and tools. As the Agency rolls out this action plan, our senior leaders will be seeking input from our customers and connecting with riders across the system, and the Agency will be working hard to recruit bus and rail operators to alleviate the workforce shortage. The engagement and roll-out of this plan will also inform a long-term strategic plan to prepare the Agency for success in a post-pandemic world.
Agency will use funds for purchase of new buses, vital bus facility upgrades and workforce development
Today the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) was awarded nearly $29 million in grant funds by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to be used towards the purchase of fully accessible, all-electric buses, as well as bus facility communication and safety improvements to accommodate the new vehicles. Today’s announcement marks the first major federal funding the CTA has received since unveiling its “Charging Forward Plan” earlier this year and is the latest step towards its commitment of converting to an electrified bus fleet by 2040.
"It's vital that the CTA system be sustainable, affordable, and efficient for both our residents and our environment," said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. "With this grant funding, not only are we taking steps to protect our environment, but we are leading the way for other municipalities. I'm pleased to see this award bring us one step closer to a climate resilient Chicago."
Building upon a decade of leading an industry shift toward bus electrification, the CTA unveiled “Charging Forward: CTA Bus Electrification Planning Report” in February 2022 as a blueprint for the agency’s route to a full electric bus fleet and bus operational infrastructure over the next 18 years. Converting a bus fleet of more than 1,800 vehicles is a complex undertaking and will require new buses as well as charging station infrastructure and significant electrical power upgrades.
“These funds, which were not originally anticipated as part of our ‘Charging Forward’ plan, will allow us to accelerate the expansion of our all-electric bus fleet, further highlighting the CTA’s commitment to deploying the cleanest and most energy efficient U.S.-made transit buses,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “This is the latest in our ongoing mission to deliver quality, affordable transit services that link people, jobs and communities – for today, as well as for the future of Chicago.”
A portion of the grant funds, $3.4 million, will be used to purchase 10 electric buses. The CTA is committed to replacing its older diesel buses currently in service with battery-powered, zero-emission, all-electric buses.
The bulk of the funds awarded today, approximately $13.2 million, will go towards upgrading the Chicago Avenue Garage located in Humboldt Park, which was identified as the first location to be fully modernized.
Routes operating out of the Chicago Avenue Garage serve an area that is 93% minority with 86% low income, which means CTA’s bus electrification efforts will bring significant environmental benefits to minority and low-income areas of Chicago where air quality is often worse and there are larger populations with health-related vulnerabilities.
The remaining portion of the grant funds, approximately $1.1 million, will be used for workforce development to help train CTA employees on how to maintain and operate the agency’s growing electric fleet.
Currently, there are more than 20 electric buses in the fleet that are operating along the #66 Chicago route, connecting the Austin neighborhood to the near West Side and Navy Pier.
CTA aims to prioritize routes serving South and West side neighborhoods historically overburdened by air quality issues for early equitable electric bus deployment and aims to electrify routes serving the 95th/Dan Ryan Red Line terminal in the next few years.
The grant funds are sourced through the FTA’s 2022 Low or No Emission and Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program, which is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Over the next five years, the BIL will provide $5.5 billion for the Low- and No-Emission Program, which CTA will continue to pursue to further advance its fleet electrification plans.
For more information, or to view the Charging Forward: CTA Bus Electrification Planning Report, please visit: transitchicago.com/electricbus/.
