Railroads with the industry’s best safety performance records were honored at the annual E.H. Harriman Awards ceremony, which also marked the industry’s near century long commitment to safety and innovation with the Centennial Award.
Congress approved a three-month extension of current transportation programs and the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012 was signed by President Obama on March 30, extending the authority to make expenditures from the Highway Trust Fund for HTF-financed programs through June 30, 2012.
Leaders from the Transportation for Illinois Coalition (TFIC) and Regional Transportation Authority called on Congress to act now on extending national transportation funding ahead of a Friday deadline that, if missed, could put the region’s transportation system and entire economy in limbo.
Last month, I wrote about safety as it pertains to the elimination of the Harriman awards. Safety is again at the forefront, this time thanks to legislation introduced to the Illinois General Assembly.
On Monday, Reps. Dan Lipinski (D-IL) and Robert Dold (R-IL), Chicago Transit Authority President Forrest Claypool, Metra Executive Director/CEO Alex Clifford, RTA Executive Director Joseph Costello, Illinois Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Doug Whitley and other transportation, business, labor and environmental leaders called on House Republican leaders to work with them to fix the transportation reauthorization bill before it comes up for a vote in the House this week.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood helped break ground on the Englewood Flyover project, a critical component to the Chicago hub of the Midwest high-speed rail network. The construction project will build a bridge to separate traffic along two railroads, allowing 130 trains per day to move more quickly through one of the worst bottlenecks in North America. The investment will improve on-time performance of passenger trains, reduce freight congestion and create nearly 1,500 jobs. Secretary LaHood was joined by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, U.S. Congressmen Bobby Rush and Dan Lipinski, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and other state and local elected officials, as well as business, labor and civic leaders.
"Projects like this one are exactly why President Obama has made transportation such a big part of the American Jobs Act," said Secretary LaHood. "We have workers on site today, American factories producing new supplies and when the project is completed, people and goods will move more quickly and easily through the Midwest, making the region a better place to start a business or hire new workers."
The $133 million construction project is funded through a $126 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s high-speed intercity passenger rail program, with a $6.6 million contribution from Governor Quinn’s Illinois Jobs Now! construction program. This marks the start of the second major construction project in the Midwest, as work is also under way on the Chicago-St. Louis High-Speed Rail Corridor. Workers will build a bridge to carry 78 daily North-South Metra Rock Island commuter trains and approximately 60 East-West intercity passenger and freight trains that operate on the Norfolk Southern corridor. The new bridge will allow all trains to pass through without conflict and is designed to allow for additional tracks to be added to both corridors to accommodate future growth.
"The Englewood Flyover will make life easier for tens of thousands of commuters every day and put people to work immediately," Governor Pat Quinn said. "This vital project will eliminate a problem spot and set the stage for future passenger rail growth while boosting Illinois’ position at the economic engine of the Midwest."
"As a result of this federal funding, the hard hit construction industry in the Chicago metro area will see 1,500 jobs, good-paying jobs that can’t be outsourced. If we are going to continue growing our economy, we need more projects like this one, not fewer, which is why the American Jobs Act is so important," Senator Dick Durbin said.
"Every day, nearly 1,300 trains pass through Chicago-making it one of the busiest rail hubs in the United States," said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. "CREATE will invest in critically needed improvements to increase the efficiency of passenger and freight rail infrastructure, enhance the quality of life for residents and ensure Chicago remains a competitive destination for travel and trade."
"There aren’t many projects that deliver this kind of bang for the buck," Congressman Dan Lipinski said. Having obtained the initial $100 million for CREATE back in 2005, I’m very glad we’re finally breaking ground."
Chicago’s Regional Transportation Authority received a $800,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration Transit Asset Management (TAM) Pilot program.
The grant will allow the RTA to move forward with existing plans to develop a Capital Program Prioritization Decision Tool that will utilize its newly developed assessment and inventory of the region’s transportation assets, including infrastructure and equipment, to prioritize future expenditures, in order to best achieve a state of good repair for transportation assets over the next 10 years. The regional Service Boards CTA, Metra and Pace have collaboratively participated with RTA in the process.
"Our proactive efforts to conduct the asset condition evaluation favorably positioned our region to receive the FTA grant that will be of tremendous help toward maintaining a state of good repair and aiding us with making strategic capital investments," said Grace Gallucci, RTA senior deputy executive director, finance and performance management and CFO. She added that over time, riders can benefit from improved service reliability with a needs-based capital program.
Last year, the RTA and its Service Boards completed an 18-month asset condition evaluation that reviewed the condition of existing capital assets for each of the service boards. The infrastructure evaluation guided the RTA in establishing administrative criteria to replace, repair and maintain capital assets for each service board. The asset condition evaluation report concluded that the transit system’s 10-year capital program need is $24.6 billion; $15 billion for the CTA, $7.4 billion for Metra and $2.2 billion for Pace. As examples of the transit system’s urgent maintenance needs, 42 percent of rail cars and 39 percent of the region’s train stations were rated as past their useful life, according to the report.
Recent legislation has changed the Regional Transit Authority Senior Ride Free program. Beginning September 1, 2011, only low-income seniors enrolled in the Illinois Circuit Breaker Program will be eligible for free transportation. All other seniors can still travel on Metra, CTA and Pace fixed routes at reduced prices by using the RTA Reduced Fare Permit.
Seniors who are not eligible for free transportation will receive an RTA Reduced Fare Permit. The seniors who qualify for the ride free permit will receive a Circuit Permit that will look similar to the current Circuit Permit Ride Free for people with disabilities.
From now through August 31, seniors can continue using their Seniors Ride Free Permits. The RTA started mailing the new Permits the first week of August. Existing Seniors Ride Free Permits will be deactivated on September 1, 2011.
The Regional Transportation Authority in the Chicago area proposed a Request for Information on the integration of real-time transit tracking. The RTA is exploring options for providing up-to-the minute regional travel information. This live information would aid customers riding on the CTA, Chicago Metra and Pace buses and trains.
The RTA is seeking innovative approaches on possible systems to provide the public with a one-stop shop for estimated bus and train arrivals, departures and connections.
The requirement for real-time information is also tied to the transit technology legislation drafted by the RTA and signed into law earlier this month by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn.
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signed a legislation to reform mass transit in the Chicago region by creating a universal fare card for riders of the CTA, Metra and Pace and taking the first step towards making free wireless internet available on buses and trains throughout the region. The new law also requires Metra to provide web-based, real-time train arrival information and lays the groundwork for the installation of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) on Metra passenger trains.
"These improvements will make public transit a more robust and convenient travel option, boosting economic development and increasing access to schools and universities throughout the region," said Governor Quinn.
House Bill 3597 requires the Regional Transportation Authority to implement a universal fare card system for the CTA, Metra and Pace by 2015. A universal fare card would ensure access to all forms of public transportation in the region by allowing transfers between transit systems.
The new law was sponsored by Chicago Alderman Will Burns during his time as state representative and State Senator Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago).
House Bill 3597 passed the Illinois General Assembly unanimously and takes effect immediately.
The Illinois Department of Transportation received the "go ahead" from U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to start spending $126 million for Chicago’s Englewood Flyover project, after an agreement was reached between NS, Amtrak and IDOT.
The project, which will get under way late summer, will eliminate one of the nation’s largest rail bottlenecks. The Illinois Department of Transportation contributed $6.6 million to the $133 million project.
The Englewood Flyover is a grade separation project south of Chicago Union Station that eliminates one of the most delay-prone intersections in the entire Amtrak system. It separates Rock Island District Metra commuter trains from Amtrak passenger trains traveling on the Norfolk Southern corridor.
"Untying rail congestion in Chicago is critical to developing a Midwest passenger rail network that will connect the 40 largest markets in the Midwest," said Secretary LaHood. "Building the Englewood Flyover will put Americans back to work this summer and create new orders in our domestic supply chain."
The Englewood Flyover project is part of the CREATE Program, a partnership between the State of Illinois, the City of Chicago, freight railroads, Metra and Amtrak, to remove and reduce train congestion throughout Chicagoland and the Midwest region.
"Not only will Illinois see the benefit of new construction jobs and some desperately needed congestion relief, this is a great opportunity for Illinois suppliers to bid on new orders," said Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph C. Szabo. "Illinois has more railway suppliers than any other state in the country and does more than $4.5 billion in sales each year."
The Regional Transportation Authority has implemented changes to the three-year-long Seniors Ride Free program, effective Sept. 1. Of the nearly 440,000 seniors who qualified to receive free transit rides, only 25,000 of them are still eligible and will be given a "Circuit Ride Free" card. The remaining 415,000 seniors will receive a "Reduced Fare" card which, totals about half the fare to ride the CTA, Metra and Pace. In doing so, the RTA’s revenue is estimated to increase by $30 million dollars annually.
The Seniors Ride Free program was changed in February after Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation that amended the RTA Act to allow only low-income seniors to continue riding free on fixed-route services.
The RTA has sent correspondence to all seniors who are currently enrolled in the program advising of the enrollment process. Public hearings will be scheduled to occur in early June throughout the region and extensive outreach and communication efforts will be made to notify seniors about the program changes.
Metra leaders and elected officials came together to on Friday to officially dedicate the new Lovana S. "Lou" Jones/Bronzeville Station along the Rock Island Line.
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn joined southeast suburban officials to sign House Bill 1644, which establishes the Southeast Commuter Rail Transit District. The new district will give local officials the tools they needto help build the SouthEast Service Line, a proposed Metra line connecting nearly 20 communities with downtown Chicago.
"Accessible commuter rail is an essential component of our transportation system," said Governor Quinn. "The SouthEast Service Line will provide access to an underserved area while creating jobs, sparking economic development and improving the quality of life in the southeast suburbs."
The planned SouthEast Service Line will link the 33 miles between Crete’s Balmoral Park and downtown Chicago’s LaSalle Street Station, with additional stops in Crete, Steger, South Chicago Heights, Chicago Heights, Glenwood, Thornton, South Holland, Dolton, 115th Street, Gresham and 35th Street stations on Chicago’s South Side. The project will cost an estimated $778 million and will open up service to one of the last regions of the metropolitan area without access to Metra.
The new line will provide greater access to jobs, reduce highway congestion and enable towns and neighborhoods along the route to pursue transit-oriented developments. Among the anticipated locations served will be St. James Hospital and Health Centers in Chicago Heights, the Ford Motor Co. plant on the South Side, U.S. Cellular Field and Chicago’s Loop.
The project was authorized in the 2005 federal transportation bill. Metra completed the last of the in-depth studies of the line in 2010. A final proposal is expected to be submitted to the Federal Transit Administration later this year.
"The Southeast Commuter Rail Transit District will bring commuter rail to an area with few transportation options," said Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig. "By creating this district, we are reaffirming our commitment to the SouthEast Service Line and giving communities a greater voice in the planning process."
Congressman Dan Lipinski (IL-03) and Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin vowed to fight to preserve $133 million in federal funding for the Englewood Flyover, a linchpin of the CREATE rail modernization program that will reduce Metra delays, create 1,450 jobs and boost long-term economic growth. The project’s funding would be immediately eliminated in the spending bill for the current fiscal year that the House approved and Congressman Lipinski opposed. The legislation now heads to the Senate for consideration.
"As my record reflects, I believe that the national debt is a threat to America’s long-term economic health and that we need to cut unnecessary spending to assure our future prosperity," Lipinski said. "But we can’t cut with our eyes closed; we must continue to make investments that are critical for the future of our nation, especially our middle class. The Englewood Flyover provides a tremendous bang for the buck, and cutting it now would be incredibly shortsighted. It will create 1,450 jobs at a time when there aren’t nearly enough middle class jobs available. It will reduce delays on Metra’s Rock Island District line and is the critical first step toward eliminating delays on the Southwest Service line, benefiting 40,000 riders every weekday. As a linchpin of the CREATE rail modernization program, it will boost economic growth for years to come. It’s vital we continue to move the program forward."
"Yes, we need to cut spending, but we need to do so in a responsible manner," Durbin said. "We shouldn’t abandon our commitments to creating jobs and economic development in the midst of this recession."
The Englewood Flyover will build a bridge to carry Metra’s Rock Island line over the Norfolk Southern/Amtrak tracks at 63rd Street in Chicago, ending delays that occur when trains must wait for other trains to cross at the rail-rail intersection before proceeding. Failure to increase freight rail capacity through CREATE would mean missing out on 17,000 jobs and $2 billion in annual economic production in the Chicago metropolitan area.
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn
said $32 million from the Illinois Jobs Now! capital program will go to
construct a multi-modal transportation station in downtown Joliet. The new
transportation center is expected to create 650 jobs, laying the groundwork for
future transit-oriented development in downtown Joliet.
The CREATE Program
will be participating in the 14th Annual Transportation Symposium
and Business Exchange sponsored by several CREATE partners and other regional
transportation agencies. Participants include the Regional Transportation
Authority, Illinois Tollway, CTA, Metra, Pace and IDOT, among others.
In February, U.S. DOT
announced that the CREATE Program would receive $100 million in Transportation
Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) funds under the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to complete five projects. Work on the
first of those five projects began in July. The Broadview/LaGrange
signalization (Projects B4/B5) will install a new bi-directional computerized
Traffic Control System (TCS) along a seven-mile segment of the Indiana Harbor
Belt. This project will upgrade 21 hand-thrown switches to power switches. The
TIGER grant funded $11.7 million of the $13.7 million project. The remainder of
the funds was contributed by the freight railroads.
Chicago-area Regional
Transportation Authority officials predicted that there will be no major
expansion of the Chicago area’s transit system for many years and that fare
increases are likely as early as next year just to keep the existing system
operating, the Chicago Tribune reports.
