Where the RTA is on ADA's 25th anniversary
This month marks the 25th anniversary of the American with Disabilities Act - a law that greatly affects our regional residents with disabilities or about 9% of our population. It's ironic the exact time we are celebrating the law's accomplishments, we are fighting for some of its benefits. Simply put, in order to maintain the system we currently have, the RTA needs an estimated $1.6 billion annual capital investment over the next ten years. Right now, we are only receiving approximately half that amount and there continues to be uncertainty regarding the future of capital funding in both Springfield and Washington D.C. On the chopping block is $8.5 million intended for Pace Paratransit.
Marni Pyke's article on Monday, July 20 (Suburban transit better, but still 'miles to go' for disabled), writes about pockets of our region that may not offer adequate service to riders with disabilities. This is an important issue and one that we at the RTA understand. But, let's point out the positives as well.
When compared to our peers, our region's ADA Paratransit service has the second lowest cost per passenger mile with an on-time performance of 92%.
Paratransit ridership is growing, up 6 percent in 2013 and 8% the year before. Community-based Dial-A-Rides are part of the answer, but they're not the whole solution.
Overall, 71 percent of our transit stations are accessible and that's true of 100% of the "key" stations: those whose passengers exceed the system average by 15 percent, are major transfer points to other transit modes, are at the end of a line or that serve major activity centers. Metra has 173 fully accessible stations and 22 partially accessible stations, representing the busiest stations used by more than 94 percent of its customers. Pace has a fully accessible fixed route bus fleet and was the first transit agency in northeastern Illinois and the second in the state to achieve this status. CTA's bus fleet is accessible, all rail cars are wheelchair accessible and there are 100 accessible "L" stations.
There is still much to do, but we at the RTA would like to celebrate the anniversary of the ADA and all it has done for transit riders.
Kirk Dillard
Chairman
Regional Transportation Authority