CHICAGO, IL (Chambana Today) – Public transit in the Chicago area is heading toward a major funding crisis, with a budget shortfall that could result in widespread service cuts.
Transit agencies across Chicagoland are facing a $770 million budget gap for the upcoming fiscal year. If lawmakers don’t pass a funding and reform package by May 31, officials warn of severe service reductions, including fewer buses and trains, longer wait times, and major disruptions for low-income and working-class commuters. The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) described the potential outcome as a “nightmare scenario.”
Illinois lawmakers say they are close to agreeing on a reform plan that would keep the CTA, Metra, and Pace operating separately, while giving more power to the RTA, which currently oversees regional transit finances. This plan, backed by organized labor and often referred to as the “labor plan,” is gaining traction and is seen as a realistic and politically feasible solution…