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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.