Chicago Public Radio reported yesterday that the CTA will be facing about $35 million in budget cuts this year. Stephen Schlickman, the RTA’s Executive Director said that this hit to the budget will most likely yield service cuts after a period of public notice in the next few months.
Yesterday, a coalition of Illinois and national transportation advocates commented on the Federal Transportation Bill introduced by Rep. Oberstar (D-MN). Representatives from Center for Neighborhood Technology, Metropolitan Planning Council, Illinois PIRG, Environmental Law and Policy Center, and Transportation for America held a media briefing and issued a joint statement on this important piece of legislation. Their media release is well-reasoned and provides vital direction on shaping this bill to improve our national transportation program. If you haven’t already, please take a moment to read their statement here.
CNT has also written a very informative blog entry on this media briefing; you can read that here.
Open houses are scheduled as follows:
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
(Presentation will begin at 6:15 p.m.)
Olive-Harvey College Cafeteria
10001 South Woodlawn
Chicago, IL
Thursday, June 4, 2009
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
(Presentation will begin at 6:15 p.m.)
Woodson Regional Chicago Public Library
9525 South Halsted Street
Chicago, IL
Surprising rumors in Springfield have indicated that RTA may soon be eliminated. (See Greg Hinz’s article, “Madigan out to kill RTA?”) The RTA provides vital large-scale vision in allocating funds and coordinating services between the CTA, Metra, and PACE. Without the RTA, these agencies will no longer have a channel to coordinate with each other, drastically reducing their efficacy and rendering long-term planning between them next to impossible. We are urging our members to stop this bad decision in its tracks, by sending a letter to their legislators reminding them of the RTA’s central importance to maintaining an effective, healthy public transportation system in Illinois.
Transportation4America recently released their full Campaign Platform, offering advice to President Obama and his administration on how to forge their priorities in enacting a sustainable transportation plan. The current $286 billion SAFETEA-LU plan will expire this year, giving the Obama administration a unique opportunity to make a dramatic shift in transportation policy. T4America’s recommendations emphasize fiscal accountability, sustainability, and integrating land use planning with tranportation policy. Read more on their website, where you can download the full 31-page report or a 3-page executive summary. You can also sign a petition urging Congress to support these priorities here.
In response to recent developments in local transportation politics, CNT is reviving the TransitFuture coalition. Created in March 2007 to rally local support to avert the Doomsday defunding of public transportation in Northeastern Illinois, the TransitFuture’s organizing efforts paid off, and the crisis was averted. With the current funding crunch, that victory has revealed itself to be temporary, and the TransitFuture coalition is back in action to organize against the latest batch of harmful budget threats. Stay tuned to our website and listserv to learn how you can help stop Illinois’ budget crisis from doing irreparable damage to the public transportation system.
On December 15th the RTA will hold the last of 26 public hearings this year on the 2009 budget and the capital needs of the region’s transit system. This marks the culmination of a vast public outreach effort by the RTA to solicit opinions and suggestions from the riders they serve and the broader public. Steve Schlickman, the Executive Director of the RTA, will conduct the Chicago Central presentation and RTA Board Director Michael Scott will offer opening remarks. Please come and share your thoughts.
TIME: 9 am
DATE: Monday, December 15
PLACE: University Center, 525 S. State St., Loop/River Room, 2nd floor
Two U.S. senators have recently introduced legislation that would require states and Metropolitan Planning Organizations to take the needs of pedestrians and bicyclists into account when building roads. The bill, which is numbered as S. 2686, would be similar to many laws currently in place at local and state levels, including a recently passed Illinois Complete Streets bill. Please call Illinois Senators Durbin and Obama and ask them to support this bill.
The Illinois House of Representatives is holding a series of public hearings where they hope to receive citizen input on the state budget. Please attend a hearing in your area and advocate for greater transit funding! The schedule of the hearings is as follows:
Decatur
3/10/2008, 6:00 p.m.
Lincoln Square Theatre
141 North Main St., Decatur
Marion
3/10/2008, 6:00 p.m.
Williamson County Pavilion (behind Illinois Centre Mall)
1602 Sioux Drive, Marion
Northwest Suburbs
3/17/2008, 6:30 p.m.
Prairie Center for the Arts - Theatre
201 Schaumburg Ct., Schaumburg
Tazewell County
3/17/2008, 6:00 p.m.
The Festival Building
2200 E. Washington, East Peoria
Champaign
3/18/2008, 6:00 p.m.
Parkland College
2400 West Bradley Avenue, Room D244, Champaign
Aurora
3/18/2008, 6:00 p.m.
Copley Theater
8 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora
McHenry County
3/19/2008, 6:30 p.m.
McHenry College Conference Center
8900 US Highway 14, Crystal Lake
Cicero
3/19/2008, 6:00 p.m.
Morton College, Building A
Jedlicka Performing Arts Center
3801 South Central Ave., Cicero
Joliet
3/20/2008, 6:00 p.m.
Joliet Township High School, West Campus
401 North Larkin, Joliet
Rock Island
3/24/2008, 6:00 p.m.
County Building Board Room, 3rd Floor
1504 3rd Avenue, Rock Island
North Suburbs
3/24/2008, 3:00 p.m.
Northbrook Village Hall, City Council Chambers
1225 Cedar Lane, Northbrook
Kankakee
3/24/2008, 6:00 p.m.
Kankakee Community College Auditorium
100 College Dr., Kankakee
South Suburbs
3/25/2008, 6:00 p.m.
S. Suburban College, Kindig Performing Arts Auditorium
15800 State St., South Holland
Chicago: South Side
3/25/2008, 5:30 p.m.
Kennedy-King College Theatre
6301 S. Halsted St., Chicago
Rockford
3/25/2008, 6:00 p.m.
Zeke Giorgi Building Auditorium
200 S. Wyman, Rockford
Chicago: West Side
3/26/2008, 6:00 p.m.
Bethel New Life Auditorium
1150 N. Lamon St., Chicago
Metro East
3/26/2008, 6:00 p.m.
Belleville West High School, Commons Area
4063 Frank Scott Parkway, Belleville
Chicago: North Side
3/27/2008, 6:00 p.m.
Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center
Olson Auditorium, 836 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago
Chicago: Southwest
3/27/2008, 6:00 p.m.
Oak View Community Center
4625 W. 110th St., Oak Lawn