While Senate Bill 2111 was widely covered for the $1.5 billion it drives to transit throughout Illinois and its governance reforms in the Chicago region, the more than 1,000-page bill outlines a new approach to public transportation.

The 2026 budget makes permanent the regional day pass allowing a single, discounted 24-hour fare across CTA, Metra and Pace, as well as a program allowing paratransit users to ride for free on fixed routes.

Some air traffic controllers — unpaid for nearly a month — have stopped showing up, citing the added stress and need to take second jobs.

Illinois lawmakers last week signed off on a sweeping $1.5 billion transit funding package that reshapes how the CTA, Metra and Pace are run and funded. The plan also creates what’s called the Northern Illinois Transit Authority to oversee the transit agencies.

State lawmakers approved new funding for public transportation agencies without large statewide tax increases previously proposed.

Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday expressed skepticism about some of the revenue streams House Democrats pitched in a transit rescue bill filed late Tuesday night.

Illinois lawmakers head back to Springfield next week to finish out their fall veto session with plenty on the agenda.

Riders would see their base fare for both bus and rail to increase by $0.25 — bringing the fare up to $2.50 for buses and $2.75 for rail — starting on Feb. 1, 2026, according to a CTA budget proposal released Monday.

Violent protests, legally questionable immigration raids and the deployment of National Guard troops without the governor’s approval will be at the forefront of state lawmakers’ minds when they return to Springfield on Tuesday.

Chicago-area public transit agencies are facing a fiscal cliff. The budget gap for CTA, Metra and Pace is at $200 million, according to the Regional Transportation Authority.

The federal government shutdown has entered its second week, and already shortages of air traffic controllers have strained operations and disrupted flights at some U.S. airports.

The return of normal express lanes operations comes as all Kennedy outbound local lanes open, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced Sunday. Work continues on several outbound ramps through late October, with construction on pace to finish before Thanksgiving, according to IDOT.

The announcement comes just a week and a half before lawmakers are set to return to Springfield for the fall veto session, during which numerous legislators say transit will be a main priority.

The 4000-series rail cars that commuters and train enthusiasts rode through the Loop on Wednesday were built in 1923 by the Cincinnati Car Company. As part of the special occasion, some CTA employees and retirees were seen sporting Chicago Rapid Transit Company uniforms, a nod to CTA’s predecessor.

The department recently sent letters to local governments in at least six states — Alabama, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts and New Mexico — informing them it was withdrawing money awarded under the $1.1 trillion infrastructure law former President Joe Biden signed in 2021.

After passing an emissions test, motorists can purchase their vehicle registration sticker at the DMV’s annex building without having to pay the additional $9.50 charged by outside vendors, according to the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office.