2023 will be an important year for the Chicago region’s transit system, here’s what the RTA is planning
January 5, 2023
January 5, 2023
2023 will be a critical year for the Chicago region’s transit system, which contributes to our region’s economic, social, and environmental health in ways and at a scale nothing else can.
In February, the RTA Board of Directors will consider adoption of Transit is the Answer, the five-year regional transit strategic plan, which was informed by an unprecedented level of rider and stakeholder engagement over 18 months. The plan details how investing in our transit system can help the region address some of its most urgent challenges.
Following adoption, the RTA, along with CTA, Metra, and Pace, will immediately work together to implement changes that will improve the transit experience and ensure funding for the future.
The region’s transit system is expected to experience a $730 million annual operating deficit starting in 2026. During the planning process, the RTA, with experts from CTA, Metra, Pace, and CMAP, analyzed 27 federal, state, and local options for new revenue and identified the 11 options with the most potential to fairly contribute to stable funding.
In 2023, we will take affirmative steps forward to secure increased funding for transit operations and make the system less reliant upon fare revenue through:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In 2023, we will deliver a set of new regional transit initiatives that will make the system better for riders including:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In 2023, we will collaboratively begin development of three regional action plans to program investments that support a thriving region including:
These tasks will be undertaken jointly by the agencies, in addition to and in collaboration with other activities outlined in key plans issued by all three agencies recently including:
Sign up for our newsletter to stay informed on these activities as they proceed, and join our Transit is the Answer coalition to take action and advocate with us for our transit system’s future.
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Related Articles
In May, the RTA announced more than $120,000 in funding for eight Transit Station Activation pilot projects near CTA, Metra, and Pace stations and stops. The...
December 19, 2024Voters across the nation were not only asked to choose their elected representatives this November, but in many states the future of their local transit syst...
November 21, 2024Lawmakers, local leaders, and transit stakeholders from throughout the region recognize the extraordinary value of the transit system and the need for sustai...
November 21, 2024This is a guest blog from Pace on a new initiative that aims to adapt transit service to meet the changing needs of riders—a key action item in the RTA’s reg...
November 18, 2024Following through on a key recommendation from regional transit strategic plan Transit is the Answer, the RTA launched a newly expanded, rider-focused Citize...
November 12, 2024To gather feedback and build support for improving transit service with new, expanded funding, the RTA hosted a half-day Suburban Transit Summit in Arlington...
November 11, 2024