RTA Wants Lawmakers to Boost Its Authority to Oversee, Coordinate Chicago-Area Transit

(Wirestock / iStock) (Wirestock / iStock)

The Regional Transportation Authority is pitching what it calls a “historic restructuring” that would grant the agency authority to more aggressively coordinate fare policy, service standards and capital projects among CTA, Metra and Pace — reforms the RTA said could create both cost savings and a vastly improved rider experience.

The proposal comes as the Chicago region’s transit agencies are facing down an estimated $750 million fiscal cliff next year when COVID-19 relief money runs out — and amid conversations in Springfield about tying increased transit funding to major changes to the existing public transit structure. Some lawmakers have floated merging RTA, CTA, Metra and Pace into a single agency, coupled with an additional $1.5 billion in annual funding.

The transit agencies have cheered the proposed funding boost, noting that Illinois invests far less in transit than other states — but have thrown cold water on the idea of a merger, arguing it won’t create the efficiencies or service improvements backers hope.

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RTA Executive Director Leanne Redden said the new proposal, set to be outlined by RTA Board Chairman Kirk Dillard in a Wednesday speech at the City Club, is the culmination of more than two years of work that can serve as a roadmap for lawmakers debating transit’s future during the General Assembly’s spring session.

“We’re looking for that additional investment of ($1.5 billion) to deliver the system that we think the region deserves and needs,” Redden said. “But with that, we know there needs to be this governance reform. We think those two — the governance reform that we’re proposing that’s outcome-driven, focused on riders, coupled with the monies — really could allow a transformative vision for transit.”

The RTA’s proposal, called “Transforming Transit,” would not do away with the Chicago region’s existing transit operators. Redden said the plan is a response to what the agency has heard “loudly and clearly” from riders, advocates and legislators — and would allow CTA, Metra and Pace to focus on operations while the RTA makes decisions with a regional focus and impact.

Fares and Infrastructure Coordination

In terms of fare policy, Redden said the RTA’s vision is “seamless integration of how to plan for your trip, rider information (and) how to pay for your trip…. It would be irrelevant as to who they’re riding, they just say where they’re coming from and where they want to go.”

RTA would manage and set all fare policy and products and develop a universal app for payment. The agency is also calling for expanding a pilot program for low-income riders.

When it comes to service quality, the RTA doesn’t foresee working at a level as nitty-gritty as dictating how frequently a particular bus line ought to come during certain hours of the day, for example. But Redden said current statutes have RTA joining the conversation on service at the end of the decision-making process rather than the beginning.

A newly empowered RTA could help set regional standards for bus, rapid transit, commuter rail and regional rail, Redden said.

“What are the sort of overarching headways, goals, hours of service?” she asked. “Then we can look at, how much money do we have? And then from there we can allocate monies to each of the three service boards based on the types of services that they’re agreeing to deliver.”

Redden said the vision for coordinating major infrastructure work is similar to the idea for service standards — being a part of the process from the beginning, especially to ensure future projects better integrate existing operators and improve rider experience.

CTA, Metra and Pace would be required to report to the RTA quarterly on fares, service and capital improvements — and the agency could withhold additional funding if the operators aren’t meeting agreed-upon standards.

With a newly empowered RTA, transit operators would “free and unencumbered do what they do best, which is operate services,” and with an additional $1.5 billion in annual funding, Redden said, the Chicago area could see massive improvements in its current transit system.

Among the ambitious goals are vastly reduced wait times of six minutes or less on city rail and eight minutes or less on at least 40 city rapid bus lines, both of which would run 24 hours a day; 12 minutes or less on local city bus routes; 15 minutes or less on regional rapid bus routes running seven days a week; 30 minutes or less on regional rail lines running 24 hours a day; and 30 minutes or less on regional local bus routes running daily.

Redden said increased service frequency will keep cars off the road, help people get around without the need for the sometimes-extensive planning currently required and make riders feel safer since they won’t be waiting long at a bus stop or train station where they might feel uncomfortable.

The RTA could also use additional discretionary money to allow riders access to third-party services like rideshare to fill last-mile or late-night service gaps, or make up for canceled trains or buses.

With the combined $750 million fiscal cliff looming, the RTA is also pitching what it calls a “reasonable” 10% fare increase — coupled with expanded state funding to offset costs for low-income riders — and operational efficiencies from the reforms the agency is proposing. Each of those would reduce the burden of the fiscal cliff by $50 million apiece, the RTA said.

One frequently referenced talking point among reform advocates is the byzantine appearance of the current transit oversight structure, with 47 seats across four boards and 21 different appointing authorities. Redden said the RTA’s proposal is more or less agnostic when it comes to board structure.

“This is really, I think, a conversation for the state legislature and the appointing authorities,” Redden said. “If they want to make governance, structural changes to our board and the three (transit operators’) boards, that’s their prerogative.”

Making the Pitch

As for where things stand with lawmakers, Redden said the RTA is in regular conversation with them on transit issues and hopes Wednesday’s proposal can provide them a roadmap.

Dillard’s speech to the City Club echoes that sentiment, arguing it’s time for action to bolster a system that’s long been starved of the resources and structure it needs.

“We are at a critical moment where we must think big to fix the chronic underfunding and disjointed governance that have plagued our transit system for too long,” Dillard’s prepared remarks read.

Without major action, transit leaders have been clear the region will face dire service cuts of some 40%, creating lengthy waits for riders who rely on transit and pushing people who are able to drive onto already-busy roads.

Dillard’s remarks describe the dichotomy between new investment and massive cuts: “A region that has missed the opportunity to transform transit, that has 40% less buses and trains operating, where ridership is falling, and the result is skyrocketing congestion and less economic growth. Or a region that has found the political courage to finally tackle a decades-long problem — and has more frequent and reliable service everywhere — where travel is seamless between transit operators and where issues facing the system are dealt with in a timely manner by one accountable agency.”

Redden said she’s “cautiously optimistic” the General Assembly won’t leave transit in the lurch, and hopes the RTA’s proposal can create support for governance reforms that don’t involve a wholesale merger.

“It’s going to be a busy legislative session, and I think we want to make sure that transit is still front and center in the conversation,” Redden said. “People sort of (say), oh, but the money doesn’t run out until 2026. But if we don’t have funding certainty by May, we have to pull back on all this momentum and ridership growth that we’ve had in our region and start focusing on the plans for what we don’t want to have to do, which is service cuts and fare increases.”

Contact Nick Blumberg: [email protected] | (773) 509-5434 | @ndblumberg


 

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