Contact Contact

RTA Executive Director's letter to Illinois Congressional Delegation on additional federal funding for transit

August 3, 2020

RTA ED funding letter 730x250

On July 30, 2020, I sent a letter to the Illinois Congressional delegation to reiterate that the RTA strongly supports including additional federal resources for public transportation in the next coronavirus legislative package. The full letter is below.

Dear Illinois Congressional Delegation:

On behalf of the Regional Transportation Authority of Northeastern Illinois (RTA), I would like to extend my gratitude to you for your quick response and continued work in ensuring crucial funding for transit operators within the Northeastern Illinois region and the rest of the U.S. during this difficult time. The federal funding allocated to our transit system through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act has been critical in maintaining transit operations during this period of historic revenue loss.

And yet, our region and country are still facing an incredibly daunting situation. Therefore, while deeply grateful for CARES Act funding, the RTA strongly supports including additional federal resources for public transportation in the next coronavirus legislative package. We recognize that complex legislative discussions will happen in the next two weeks, but it was disappointing to see that no new funding for public transportation is included in the recently released Senate Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEALS) Act.

The Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act that the House of Representatives passed several weeks ago included $15.75 billion in public transportation funding. That is certainly better than HEALS’ grave omission of transit support, but it would fall short of the $32 billion for transit referenced in the July 14 letter from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) to Congressional leaders, which we strongly support. That request reflects the essential role that transit must play in America’s economic recovery.

The RTA knows that Congress has a difficult task ahead in deciding on how to balance federal resource allocation with needs. Thank you again for your continued dedication and service in promoting policies that are crucial to the improvement of our community’s public transit infrastructure. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
Leanne P. Redden
Executive Director

A PDF of this letter is available here.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

* indicates required
Type your email address here
What emails would you like to receive from the RTA
Tagged in: COVID-19 | CTA | Metra | Pace

Related Articles

22 RTA 0395 What RTA can learn from peers transitioning to a zero-emission transit system

Transit is the Answer commits the RTA to accelerating the transition to a zero-emission regional transit system and prioritizing communities burdened by poor...

April 22, 2025
Metra blog 4 Metra Electric station upgrades complete with more underway, prioritizing ADA accessibility

As part of Metra’s commitment to Chicago’s South Side and south suburbs, the agency is investing more than $800 million over the next decade to upgrade numer...

March 13, 2025
22 RTA 0812 Why fully funding paratransit service and reduced fare programs is key to closing the transit budget gap

Chicago's transit system is facing a fiscal cliff in 2026 that will mean drastic service cuts across CTA, Metra, and Pace. The RTA is advocating for addition...

February 18, 2025
RS63694 Damen Station 2024 05 05 157t 2 New stations on CTA Green Line, Metra UP-N line increase transit access for residents, riders

Chicago's transit system is facing a fiscal cliff in 2026 that will mean drastic service cuts across CTA, Metra, and Pace. The RTA is advocating for addition...

January 28, 2025
2302 RT Aextras 6 2025 Regional transit budget available for public comment, foreshadows risk to system’s future without fiscal cliff solution

Chicago's transit system is facing a fiscal cliff in 2026 that will mean drastic service cuts across CTA, Metra, and Pace. The RTA is advocating for addition...

November 15, 2024
RS63256 63rd Warehouse 2024 07 22 008 With equity at the forefront, CTA, Metra, and Pace open new facilities, prioritize upgrades in south and west communities

This year, CTA and Pace have opened or advanced various new facilities in south and west communities throughout the region, and Metra has prioritized upgrade...

October 9, 2024
RTA
CTA
Metra
Pace
Copyright © 2025 Regional Transportation Authority. All Rights Reserved.