Federal Transportation Bill to Aid Illinois; Now State Must Step Up With New Capital Investment Plan

Legislation provides $1.6 billion in federal funding for critical road, freight, and transit projects in Illinois; cannot access unless state passes new capital package to replace Illinois FIRST

July 29, 2005

(Chicago)….. Northeastern Illinois’ Business Leaders for Transportation coalition lauded Congress for its efforts to finalize the Transportation Equity Act, long-awaited legislation that is reportedly slated for final congressional approval today and, once signed by the President, will earmark federal funds for surface projects to attack traffic gridlock.

Business Leaders for Transportation is an advocacy coalition of more than 180 business organizations representing over 12,000 employees in the Chicagoland region. The coalition – co-led by the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC), and Chicago Metropolis 2020 – worked with regional stakeholders starting in 2002 to hammer out a consensus “ask” and congratulates the Illinois congressional delegation for delivering on many of those goals.

The coalition celebrated the reported $286.4 billion authorization, which includes funding to support critical new transit, freight and highway projects that will expand transportation choices for Illinoisans. However, Business Leaders also urged state leaders and transportation decision makers to prioritize the development and approval of a much-needed, new state capital investment package to ensure that Illinois can compete for limited federal transportation resources.

“Transportation investments in northeastern Illinois and around the state have been on hold for more than two years as federal legislators have debated a new surface transportation bill,” said MarySue Barrett, Council president. “With legislation expected to win final Senate approval today or tomorrow and President Bush expected to sign the bill this weekend, our state leaders and transportation decision makers now must move quickly to create a package to replace the expired Illinois FIRST and maintain our state’s competitive edge in securing federal dollars.”

Among Illinois freight and road projects to receive federal funding through the reauthorization are:

Chicago Regional Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) plan, which will improve both car and commuter rail movement by reducing the freight bottleneck in northeastern Illinois;
Prairie Access, a combined plan to build the Prairie Parkway, a north-south road connecting Interstates 80 and 88 through Kendall and Kane counties; and the O’Hare Bypass, a north-south highway on the western boarder of the airport linking the Northwest and Tri-state tollways; and
a bridge over the Mississippi River linking East St. Louis , Ill. , with St. Louis, Mo.

The federal package reserves a reported $50 billion to invest in expanded transit service but does not earmark dollars for specific projects. In the Chicago region, the following projects will compete with hundreds of others around the country: Metra’s suburb-to-suburb STAR line, higher speed O’Hare access on the Chicago Transit Authority’s Blue Line, the Ogden Avenue transit way, and expansion of Pace’s bus network as part of the DuPage County Transit Plan.

Business Leaders for Transportation ardently supports a strong regional public transit network to ensure Chicago’s standing in the global economy by attracting businesses to locate here; reducing traffic gridlock; improving the flow of goods and services through the region; and providing city and suburban workers with greater transportation options. In addition, public transit reduces the effects of congestion on the region’s air quality, ensuring a healthier environment for all residents to enjoy.

Rapid growth has increased the demand for public transit, not only in the Chicago region but in metropolitan areas across the country. Competition for federal transit dollars will be fierce, intensifying the need for Illinois decision makers to work diligently toward a new state capital investment package, according to Business Leaders.

“Federal funding only provides a fraction of what is needed for new transit projects, and state leaders must identify adequate revenue to maintain and expand northeastern Illinois’ transit network, reduce congestion, and promote a healthy, competitive business climate in the Chicago region,” said Frank Beal, executive director of Chicago Metropolis 2020. “We’re counting on new leadership at the Regional Transportation Authority, coupled with the promise of the new Regional Planning Board, to provide coordinated planning and inspired leadership toward a win-win strategy that expands transit service throughout the region.”

Since Illinois FIRST expired in 2004 (and actually depleted most of its resources in 2003), the state has been without a capital investment package. As we create this plan, Business Leaders encourages state leaders to re-craft northeastern Illinois ’ public transit funding formula, which has not been changed since 1983.

Business Leaders for Transportation was created in 1997 to operate as a collective voice for Chicago-area employers, providing advocacy for policy and funding on surface transportation issues critical to the region.

For more information, contact Frank Beal, executive director of Chicago Metropolis 2020, at 312-332-8188 or Frank.H.Beal@cm2020.org; MarySue Barrett, president of the Metropolitan Planning Council, at 312-863-6001, 312-513-4712 (cell) or msbarrett@metroplanning.org; or Gerald Roper, president and CEO of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, at 312-494-6710 or jroper@chicagolandchamber.org .

To learn more about Business Leaders for Transportation, visit www.businessleadersfortransportation.org .