State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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90_HR0664

                                               LRB9013602KSgc
 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION
 2        WHEREAS, 60% of the State of Illinois work force  resides
 3    in the six-county Chicago Metropolitan Area and two-thirds of
 4    all  trips  taken on public transit in the six-county Chicago
 5    Metropolitan Area are with the Chicago Transit Authority; and
 6        WHEREAS, The Chicago Transit Authority  is  the  nation's
 7    third largest public transportation system; and
 8        WHEREAS, The Chicago Transit Authority operates on a rail
 9    structure  which  is  over  100  years old and has a physical
10    plant built prior to World War I; and
11        WHEREAS, 29% of the Chicago Transit Authority's buses and
12    12% of its rail cars are over their retirement age and 50% of
13    them need rehabilitation; and
14        WHEREAS, Efforts are  underway  by  the  Chicago  Transit
15    Authority   to  rebuild  an  aging  infrastructure,  increase
16    ridership,  and  establish  a  reputation   as   a   quality,
17    affordable  transit  system  that  links  people,  jobs,  and
18    communities; and
19        WHEREAS,  The Chicago Transit Authority is doing its fair
20    share  in  an  effort  to  curb  costs,  which  has  been  an
21    unpopular, but necessary decision; and
22        WHEREAS,  The  federal  government  has  passed  2  major
23    funding  packages  for  public  transportation  in  the  last
24    decade, but the State of Illinois has not passed one; and
25        WHEREAS, The  Transportation  Equity  Act  for  the  21st
26    Century  (P.L.  105-178) reflects a commitment by the federal
27    government to address our transportation needs; and
28        WHEREAS, The Chicago Transit Authority lobbied vigorously
29    for the Transportation Equity Act for the  21st  Century  and
30    stands  to  receive  about  25% more funds than from the last
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 1    major federal transit funding bill; and
 2        WHEREAS, Several critical projects hang in  the  balance,
 3    such as rebuilding the Douglas Branch of the Blue Line (which
 4    serves   Chicago's  near  southwest  side  and  suburbs)  and
 5    extending platforms on the  Brown  Line  to  accommodate  new
 6    riders  from  Chicago's northwest side, for which the federal
 7    government has authorized $315 million; and
 8        WHEREAS, The  Chicago  Transit  Authority  and  Illinois'
 9    other  transit  agencies need a 20% match of funding from the
10    State of Illinois in order to capture federal moneys provided
11    by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century; and
12        WHEREAS, In order for the Chicago  Transit  Authority  to
13    rebuild   its  infrastructure  and  to  continue  to  provide
14    reliable and affordable public transportation to  the  people
15    of  this  State,  the  State  of  Illinois must embark upon a
16    long-term funding program for the maintenance of the  State's
17    public transit system; and
18        WHEREAS,  The  Illinois General Assembly holds the key to
19    addressing this State's transportation needs;  therefore,  be
20    it
21        RESOLVED,   BY   THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE
22    NINETIETH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE  STATE  OF  ILLINOIS,  that
23    this  House of Representatives shall work with the Senate and
24    the Governor to provide the 20% matching  funds  required  by
25    the  federal  Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century;
26    and be it further
27        RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives  shall  work
28    with  the  Senate  and  the  Governor  to  create a long-term
29    funding program for the maintenance  of  the  State's  public
30    transit system; and be it further
31        RESOLVED,  That  suitable  copies  of  this resolution be
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 1    delivered to the Governor and the President of the Senate.

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