46th Dist. House hopefuls offer transit solutions

Both candidates running for the 46th District state representative seat agree Metra's proposed Suburban Transit Access Route, or STAR Line, is a great idea, but suburban residents need quicker transit solutions - especially with current gas prices.

Plans for the 55-mile transit line extending from O'Hare International Airport to Joliet are nearly dead due to problems with funding, land acquisition, and Canadian National Railway's pending purchase of the EJ&E railroad.

So Democrat Gary Nowak says the 46th District needs to look at more feasible options, like expanding bus routes.

"Busses tend to be less efficient (than a rail system) but are more practical," said Nowak, a banker. "You start using smaller busses, but increase the number and increase service. Then as ridership grows, increase the size of the vehicles. You must also create routes that go where people want to go, which is easily determined by analyzing traffic patterns and conducting surveys."

Republican Dennis Reboletti, who won the seat in 2006, advocates for western access to O'Hare. In September, The Illinois Department of Transportation unveiled seven alternatives for completion of the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway, which Reboletti said he supports, as well as a western bypass around the airport.

"The Elgin-O'Hare is crucial," said Reboletti, an attorney. "It will help the environment, too, because you won't have all these trucks idling on I-290."

Both men also agree that, if elected, they will work to pass a capital improvement measure that would create funds for road, infrastructure and schools.