Ask Carole

By now you probably know that the House and the Senate have passed, and the governor has certified, a bill that finally gives our region a long-term funding source and gives CTA the tools it needs to address its spiraling pension and health care costs. This is a historic moment, both because it represents the culmination of 4 years of grueling work and because it sets our region on the path to sustainable, smart growth. More immediately, it also allows our riders to breathe a sigh of relief and our operators to not have to face the constant worry and fear over job loses. I am elated, and I’m proud to be the Chairman of the Chicago Transit Board today.

Finally, of course, I have to thank the Governor and the General Assembly, particularly Rep. Julie Hamos and her bipartisan House Mass Transit Committee members (both past and present), Sen. John Cullerton, Speaker Michael Madigan, President Emil Jones, and their Republican counterparts. I know what an enormous challenge this was to overcome, and I know that you have put your lives into improving regional transit. I am confident you will be remembered fondly for doing so. This was a long process, but in the end you and our entire region has a win.

Here we are in 2008 and I still remain hopeful that our region’s transit system will finally get a long-term sustainable operating funding solution. Many of you may question my optimism after a year of short-term fixes and false hopes. Well first, I have resolved to be positive in 2008. Second, CTA provides 1.5 million rides everyday; we are a critical component of the region’s—and the state’s—economy. I continue to expect that Governor and the General Assembly will ultimately do what’s right for Illinois.

Governor Blagojevich and the legislative leaders continue to have transit front and center on their agendas, and in their own unique way hopefully move towards resolution of this long-overdue crisis. Ron, myself, CTA labor unions, Mayor Daley, all the media outlets, and just about everyone else it seems are pushing to make 2008 the year of positive transit change.

In the meantime, CTA is once again preparing for massive service cuts, fare increases and lay offs. You have surely heard our announcements on buses and trains, and as the day approaches you will see/hear more and more media coverage.

CTA is also moving forward prudently with what we can control—we’ve made significant progress on slow zones, with Harlem to Jefferson Park now running at full speed in the Blue Line and work beginning on the Red Line North slow zones, the Brown Line construction project is moving forward with new stations opening (Addison being the latest) and the other single-tracking happening soon, the bus-tracker pilot is up and running, and we’ll have some other projects to announce soon that will make riding the CTA a whole lot nicer.

Some of these projects, including our work on the Blue Line, were possible only because we shifted funds from other, important capital project budgets. This is not a good practice. And because the funding for many of these projects was programmed in the last state capital program, which ended in 1999, CTA’s infrastructure is in dire need of a new state capital program.

We have a lot at stake in 2008. I encourage you to stay vigilant and continue to let your state elected officials know that transit is important to you.