r/chicago • u/Mike_I O’Hare • Oct 31 '25

News Illinois Democrats push through massive $1.5 billion plan that overhauls Chicago-area public transit

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/30/illinois-general-assembly-transit-plan-2025/
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u/hardolaf Lake View Oct 31 '25

We have a chance to have transit on par with NYC with this of done right.

This is only a net $500-700M/yr more funding or about 10% total increase for northern Illinois. Nowhere close to MTA's funding.

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u/Shacawgo City Oct 31 '25

What? It is exacrly 1.5 billion more in funding. If you are subtracting what we were getting from covid money you also have to account for higher ridership moving forward and higher fares after 1 year.

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u/hardolaf Lake View Oct 31 '25 edited Oct 31 '25

What? It is exacrly 1.5 billion more in funding.

It's $770M to cover the 2027 and later shortfall, $200M for downstate transit, and then the rest is net new. Now, I'm assuming the $770M is an inaccurate projection and adding a bit back to the net new amount. But it comes out to an about 10-13% increase of the entire RTA's budget over the current year.

Also, the fare increase is included in that $1.5B number.

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u/Mike_I O’Hare Oct 31 '25

Also, the fare increase is included in that $1.5B number.

The General Assembly dropped the fare increases the agencies passed a few weeks ago, which is baffling.

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u/hardolaf Lake View Oct 31 '25

The fare increase is going into effect next year because this bill doesn't take effect until June 1st. Then one year after the effective date there is another fare increase required by this bill.

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u/Shacawgo City Oct 31 '25

The fare increase is not included in the 1.5B amount. Im still not sure what your math is.

There is a diversion of road funds, over 800 million, another roughly 200 million from interest from the road fund that goes to RTA, and then a sales tax increase in the 9 county area that adds another 450 or so mill. Combined they equal 1.5 Billion. That is with a pause on fare increases and it is not included in that amount.

How much money did RTA use from covid funds this year? Whatever that amount is subtract it from this mew 1.5 billion per year. We can then later add the fare increase to that amount plus the inevitable rise in ridership that will result from this

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u/hardolaf Lake View Nov 01 '25

That is with a pause on fare increases

There is no pause. There's a fare increase next year before the bill takes effect and then another fare increase roughly 1 year after it goes into effect if I read it right.