RTA Board Approves $3.0 Billion 2017 Regional Transit Operating Budget And $5.1 Billion 2017-2021 Regional Capital Program
December 15, 2016
December 15, 2016
CHICAGO - The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Board of Directors today adopted the 2017 operating budgets for the RTA, Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra and Pace, totaling $3.0 billion. The Board also adopted a five-year capital program in the amount of $5.1 billion. This includes an estimated $1.8 billion in capital expenditures for 2017.
“This productive budget season began with the RTA and Service Boards reaching agreement on operating funding allocations through a collaborative process almost a month ahead of the statutory deadline for the second year in a row,” said Leanne Redden, RTA executive director. “In addition, this budget continues to allocate a share of non-statutory funding to all three Service Boards; this had been previously limited to CTA and Pace. Finally, the RTA once again increased funds for the Service Boards by directly programming Innovation, Coordination and Enhancement (ICE) funds through the budget process.”
The $3 billion operating budget approved by the RTA Board will authorize operations expenses of the following amounts: CTA, $1.524 billion; Metra, $781.2 million; Pace Suburban Bus Service, $228.6 million; Pace Regional ADA Paratransit, $175.0 million; and the RTA $40.9 million.
Neither CTA nor Pace plans a fare increase in 2017. The 2017 budgets will be used to benefit riders in the following ways:
For the third year in row, the transit system cannot expect new capital money from the state of Illinois. The RTA estimates that in order to address the region’s growing backlog of capital needs and move forward, we should be investing $2 billion to $3 billion annually. The current capital program falls far short of that goal. Federal funds account for about 45% and CTA Transit Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds account for 35% of the 2017 capital program. The CTA is primarily responsible for growth in the 2017 capital program related to its funding to support Phase I of the Red Purple Modernization project.
The budget process included a series of public budget hearings and presentations to the six-county boards to share information and gather input on the 2017 transit budget and capital program. View a copy of the transit system’s 2017 budget and capital program at www.RTAChicago.org.
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