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RTA Board Approves Updated Startegic Plan |
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Agency continues to seek needed capital funds to help maintain, enhance & expand system
Chicago, IL – The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Board of Directors approved a restructuring of the Authority’s Strategic Plan today, based on reform legislation passed by the Illinois General Assembly earlier this year. The updated Strategic Plan will guide initial efforts to reshape the region’s transit system and improve coordination, transparency and accountability among the RTA and Service Boards – the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra and Pace.
“Working with the CTA, Metra and Pace, we have answered the call issued by the legislature to reform and improve our system,” said Steve Schlickman, RTA Executive Director. “New transit operating and capital funding are essential if the region is going to grow and flourish. But just as critical will be the way we manage and oversee the growth of the system.”
The RTA has been working in conjunction with the CTA, Metra, and Pace, as well as numerous civic, labor, business and other community organizations to update the agency’s strategic plan. Critical progress has been made on reaffirming regional goals and objectives for the transit system, establishing performance measures for the RTA and Service Boards, creating an evaluation process for capital projects in the region, reforming budget and financial plans for the Service Boards and developing new guidelines for funding programs. A public meeting to review the draft update and obtain feedback was held in early June, and the RTA Board approved the plan at its meeting today.
A full copy of the RTA Strategic Plan update can be found at www.MovingBeyondCongestion.org .
The Metropolitan Planning Council, Chicago Metropolis 2020, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and Center for Neighborhood Technology were among the organizations participating in the public planning process. Frank Beal, executive director of Chicago Metropolis 2020, noted that, “In a very short time, the RTA was able to accomplish a great deal of planning work and to establish performance measures that will improve accountability across the system.”
The RTA will continue to work on further developing performance measures and the capital evaluation process through 2009 as the Authority works to full meet the requirements of the new act.
“The RTA’s extensive public outreach and effort to engage the community is a great step forward, said Jacky Grimshaw, Vice President for Policy, Transportation & Community Development at the Center for Neighborhood Technology. “By leading the region in a discussion on the future of the transit system, the RTA is raising expectations and working with the service boards to meet demand and improve service.”
“More work remains to be done,” said RTA Board Chairman Jim Reilly. “We need to pass a capital funding plan for transit and road infrastructure as soon as possible. Without these funds, our system will continue to deteriorate, and we will spend more just to maintain an aging system.”
The RTA has identified the need for $10 billion in state funds over the next five years to replace trains and buses, improve track, stations and other structure and to begin needed expansions of the system.
“The General Assembly needs to move forward as soon as possible to craft a capital plan that is large enough to address our needs, provide equitable funding to both roads and transit, and provide a sustainable source of funding in the years to come,” said Reilly. “The longer we delay these critical investments, the more expensive they will become.”
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