SR0639 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning is currently updating its GOTO2040 master plan as part of a federally-required mid-decade update; and

WHEREAS, A new initiative for first-class passenger rail service called Crossrail Chicago has emerged which would, for the first time, connect Metra route lines together, knitting together the Chicagoland region; and

WHEREAS, Metra currently runs 11 separate lines, each of which terminates in downtown Chicago; these lines do not travel through downtown Chicago, a route which would be far more efficient; and

WHEREAS, Northeast Illinois has long suffered from a jobs-housing mismatch, where tens of thousands of entry-level jobs in and around O'Hare airport and the northwest suburbs struggle to be filled, while tens of thousands of residents of the south side and south suburbs struggle to find employment; and

WHEREAS, Current public transportation between the south suburbs and the south side of Chicago and the northwest suburbs is a long, laborious journey involving transfers between buses and rail, creating a greater barrier to full employment in the region; and

WHEREAS, This initiative is consistent with the long-term vision for northeastern Illinois set forth by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning; and

WHEREAS, Crossrail Chicago could connect Rockford, Elgin, Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, and O'Hare through Union Station to McCormick Place, Hyde Park, Homewood, University Park, the south suburban airport, Kankakee, and Champaign-Urbana in one electrified track; and

WHEREAS, The new electrified line of Crossrail Chicago would be located largely on publicly-owned rights-of-way and could bring tremendous economic benefits to the region and State; and

WHEREAS, Metra service along the metro electric line from University Park to McCormick Place could be significantly improved through the Crossrail Chicago initiative; and

WHEREAS, Crossrail Chicago can also serve as the trunk of a Midwest high-speed rail network, which would bring millions of people together into one stronger economic unit; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning to include Crossrail Chicago in its list of fiscally unconstrained projects as consistent with the GOTO2040 vision, making the projects of Crossrail Chicago eligible for federal funds; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge the Illinois Department of Transportation, Metra, the Chicago Transit Authority, and the Chicago Department of Aviation to support the inclusion of Crossrail Chicago as part of GOTO2040's mid-decade update as a project on the fiscally unconstrained list as consistent with the long-term plans of those agencies; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the Illinois Department of Transportation, Metra, the Chicago Transit Authority, and the Chicago Department of Aviation.