RTA releases semi-annual project management oversight report highlighting over $7 billion in transit investments

Under its Project Management Oversight (PMO) program, the RTA ensures that the Service Boards—CTA, Metra, and Pace—are spending capital funds and managing their capital projects effectively and efficiently. The PMO program includes oversight of all state-funded transit projects, regardless of budget, and all other projects with budgets of $10 million or more, regardless of funding source. Project progress information is updated on a quarterly basis on the RTA’s Regional Transportation Authority Mapping and Statistics (RTAMS) website.

The RTA has just released a new semi-annual PMO report providing details on current capital projects throughout the region. This PMO report includes 82 active state funded projects that have a total budget of over $3.6 billion, of which $2.6 billion is state funding. The majority of current state projects are funded by the $2.6 billion Rebuild Illinois state bond program and by $227 million in ongoing annual gas tax revenue available for capital projects, referred to as PAYGO. The report also includes 27 projects with budgets of $10 million or more, funded with mostly federal and other local funds. In total, the report details 109 projects which show a capital investment of over $7.6 billion into the RTA region’s transit system.

Project highlights

CTA: Racine station and Morgan substation improvements

Expected completion: October 2025

Budget: $97 million

CTA recently awarded a construction contract for the Racine station and Morgan substation project along the Forest Park branch of the Blue Line.

The Racine Station work is focused on making the station ADA accessible as well as adding other customer-facing improvements. As part of this project, the main entrance at Racine Street will be upgraded to add an elevator. At the auxiliary west entrance at Loomis Street, the platform access ramp will be rebuilt. Additional customer-facing improvements include updated paint and flooring finishes, new guardrails, energy-efficient LED lighting fixtures, security cameras, wayfinding signage, farebox equipment, and a customer assistant kiosk.

The second part of the project includes a new substation at Morgan. Overall, the scope of work includes building the substation structure as well as design and construction of traction power conversion and distribution equipment and cable connections to the existing track.

Metra: Remanufactured locomotives

Expected completion: May 2024

Budget: $185 million

Metra is advancing many of their rolling stock projects. Recently, Metra took delivery of four re-manufactured locomotives. These locomotives are part of a base order for 15 remanufactured locomotives. The remaining 11 are in various stages of production and testing and are expected to be delivered by May 2024.

Pace: Construction of South Campus in Markham

Expected completion: October 2023

Budget: $37 million

Pace has made significant progress on the construction of their South Campus in Markham. The project includes the construction of a new Acceptance Facility, an office building as well as associated site work, and a new bus operator training course. The Acceptance Facility will replace the existing facility in South Holland and include body repair work, mechanic training, farebox and radio repair, and sign and shelter shops. The Office Building will hold Pace's Customer Relations Department, offices for other support staff, training, and conference rooms. It will also hold Central Dispatching, Safety, Operator Training, and IT secondary data center.

More funding is needed: Join the Transit is the Answer Coalition

The projects detailed in the PMO report show the investment of $7.6 billion into the region’s transit system. The Rebuild Illinois and PAYGO funds provided a helpful infusion of funding into the capital program and helped expedite overdue repair and replacement projects to move the system toward a state of good repair. However, it is not enough to address the long-term project backlog. The RTA’s Strategic Plan, Transit is the Answer, highlights the need for an annual investment of $3.5 billion over the next 10 years.

The current infrastructure investments detailed in the PMO report are part of the progress made to bring our region’s transit system one step closer to the vision outlined in the strategic plan of safe, reliable, accessible public transportation that connects people to opportunity, advances equity, and combats climate change. Join the Transit is the Answer Coalition to help to win sustainable funding for transit and build a better system for everyone who relies on it.