Governor Blagojevich asked Ron and me down to Springfield this morning to speak with state lawmakers about transit funding. The Board has thus deferred action on a contingency plan for fare and service changes until later this month.
Our final public hearing on the proposed contingency package also took place today at CTA headquarters. To a packed room, more than 100 people from all over the region people spoke to the other board members and CTA staff about
- the need to maintain existing service and fare levels
- the impact the contingency plan would have on their ability to get to jobs, health care and schools.
- customer safety at rail stations and on buses and trains
- bus and train cleanliness
- aged CTA infrastructure
and many other important issues. The most frequently asked questions will be posted here soon.
As we have said repeatedly, no one at CTA wants to see any of this happen. Our customers' frustration about the current state of affairs—and support for what we're trying to get done in Springfield—is powerful. I will share those testimonies with lawmakers in Springfield so they too can further appreciate what CTA means to our communities and to our regional and state economy.
Please continue to write your concerns to the Board by email at ctaboard@transitchicago.com or to the following address: Chicago Transit Authority, P.O. Box 7567, Chicago, IL 60680, Attention: Gregory Longhini, Assistant Secretary, Chicago Transit Board.
One final note: I apologize that I haven’t been able to respond personally comments here. With over 200 public speakers and hundreds of emails and letters, I do have a fair number of comments to read. As always, I forward specific complaints to the appropriate departments to investigate. Three specific examples are bus idling, Blue Island traffic, and improved customer construction alerts. If you email me at ctaboard@transitchicago.com I can have staff respond to you directly.
