DID YOU KNOW?

On an average weekday, 1.7 million rides are taken on the CTA.

Minding their Gap 

On an average day, 23.8 million trips are made in, to, or from London on public transportation. Transport for London (TfL), an integrated body, manages this strong ridership. Since 2000, TfL has implemented Mayor Boris Johnson’s Transport Strategy and is responsible for transport services across the city.

TfL recently released its comprehensive plan, setting out London’s transportation priorities and illustrating the tangible benefits of sustained investment in the transportation system. Even in the difficult economic climate, TfL is one of the most efficient programs in the UK public sector, so far saving approximately $7 billion. Surprisingly, the savings were successful without taking away services or significantly hiking rider fares. Instead, TfL’s aggressive strategy includes freezing senior salaries two consecutive years, reducing back-office costs by 25 percent, integrating Metronet (a web-based program) to decrease the need for human capital, decreasing spending on consultants and temporary workers, and radically reducing marketing and communication expenditures. TfL also uses Public-Private Partnerships to manage, evaluate and help finance each of its systems. As a result, the agency has been able to improve infrastructure, increase transit capacity by 30 percent, extend services so that 90 percent of Londoners live within 0.2 miles of a bus stop, and introduce a smartcard that can be used on all public transit systems throughout England.

Chicago, as well as most major cities in the United States, is a few steps behind London and its comprehensive transportation plan.  The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is the nation’s second largest public transportation system and serves the largest portion of transit needs in the Chicago region. In fact, CTA provides 81 percent of all transit trips taken in the six-county Chicago metropolitan region. This heavy reliance on the CTA, along with increasing demand for public transit (including rehabilitation of existing infrastructure), only highlights the need for strategic planning and funding.

Another reason for CTA to integrate a comprehensive transportation plan is its existing deficit. Last month, CTA announced they have $7 billion worth of unfunded capital needs, but plan to use $113 million incapital funds originally intended for improvements to help balance the operating budget and avoid reducing services again. Although CTA is scheduled to receive $83 million in bond proceeds thanks to Gov. Pat Quinn, this will not balance the budget nor will it allow CTA to address crucial upgrades to the system. The CTA needs to replace a fleet of trains that is up to 40 years old, outfit trains with security cameras, and develop a train tracker system. CTA also needs to accommodate the 2 percent ridership increase projected for next year.

It may be time for Chicago to model London and get serious about planning for funding public transportation. It is certainly important to understand the true value of transit to cities and its impact on our quality of life.

 

 

For Additional Information:

• Transport for London
• Chicago Transit Authority

NEWS

Local News

Regional Planners Unveil Vision for Chicago Area in 2040 – Chicago Tribune  “Regional planners on Wednesday unveiled their vision for the Chicago area's future, calling for a new emphasis on fixing existing roads, raising the state gas tax to fund road maintenance and transit, and increasing the Chicago region's share of the state's road funding pie.” 

Valparaiso-to-Chicago Bus Service Lauded – Chicago Sun-Times  “Valparaiso's ChicaGo Dash service has garnered the city a Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence.”   

Quinn Says CTA Money Coming Soon to Avoid Fare Hikes – Chicago Tribune  “Gov. Pat Quinn pledged Thursday that the state will 'soon' come through with promised payments to the Chicago Transit Authority so the agency is not forced to raise fares.” 

Indiana Officials Want No Part of Toll Dispute – Northwest Indiana Times  “Indiana officials say they have no dog in the fight when it comes to the Illinois Tollway Authority's attempt to collect $7.4 million in undiscounted back tolls and fines it claims are owed by Hoosier motorists.” 

Illinois Communities Get $10M in Fed Transit Grants – Bloomberg Businessweek  “Several regions of Illinois outside Chicago will receive nearly $10 million in federal grants to improve, maintain and expand public transportation.” 

Amtrak Pledges $40 Million to Union Station – Chicago Tribune  “The project will add new restrooms and double the passenger waiting area.” 

Governor Quinn Creates Elgin-O’Hare West Bypass Advisory Council – Illinois Government News Network  “The Elgin-O’Hare West Bypass Advisory Council will work to advance the major project to extend the Elgin-O’Hare Expressway east and build the long-sought west bypass route around O’Hare International Airport.” 

Public Input Sought for Illinois Road Program – Land Line Magazine  “The Illinois Department of Transportation continues to seek input from the public as officials develop a multi-year program for the funding, construction and maintenance of roadways.” 

World News 

Gas-Tax Revamp Pushed to Fund Transportation Projects – Wall Street Journal  “The gas-tax proposal, being pitched by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, would have drivers at the pump pay an 8.4% tax on a gallon of gas instead of the current 18.4-cent tax. The tax on a gallon of diesel would be 10.6% instead of the current 24.4 cents.” 

Transportation Budgets Seen as Expendable – San Diego Union-Tribune  “If something must be cut from the state budget, Californians overwhelmingly prefer it come out of transportation rather than education or Medicaid budgets.” 

Obama Says ‘Crumbling’ Infrastructure Hinders Growth – Bloomberg Businessweek  “President Barack Obama proposed a $50 billion transportation spending program that he said would boost jobs in the construction, manufacturing and retail industries and help rebuild the nation’s infrastructure.” 

Electric Cars Set to Hit US Roads; Is Infrastructure Ready? – International Business Times  “Many industry watchers and experts have questioned the ability of charging infrastructure to support electric vehicles even though they form a fraction of the entire car market.” 

Transit Agencies to Get $776 Million to Upgrade Bus Service – Wall Street Journal  “The Obama administration said Monday it would give $776 million to local and regional transportation agencies to upgrade bus-maintenance facilities and buy more fuel-efficient buses.” 

Failing U.S. Transportation System Will Imperil Prosperity, Report Finds – Washington Post  “The United States is saddled with a rapidly decaying and woefully underfunded transportation system that will undermine its status in the global economy unless Congress and the public embrace innovative reforms, a bipartisan panel of experts concludes in a report released Monday.” 

The Case for Investing in Infrastructure – Newsweek  “There has never been a better moment for America to rebuild. An unlikely and unwelcome array of forces has converged to match our needs and the economy’s bargains almost perfectly.” 

 Resources

• GO TO 2040 Plan – The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning 

•  Well Within Reach: America’s New Transportation Agenda – David R. Goode National Transportation Policy Conference 

•  Facing the Facts: Public Attitudes and Fiscal Realities in Five Stressed States – The Pew Center on the States and the Public Policy Institute of California   

•  An Economic Analysis of Infrastructure Investment – The Department of the Treasury with the Council of Economic Advisors

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Contact Information
For comments, suggestions or submissions, please contact Chantal Hayes, Communications Associate, at chayes@metroplanning.org or 312-863-6019.