RTA tells Elgin it can't make ends meet
Like many American households, the Regional Transit Authority is facing rising costs and lower income as it tries to make ends meet.
Leanne Redden, RTA senior deputy executive director, noted the agency should be spending $1 billion a year to maintain its infrastructure and transportation network, but the 2009 plan has only $470 million for that.
"We're falling behind quickly," she said after a budget hearing Tuesday night in Elgin.
"The system is not operating efficiently. It's deteriorating. So we can't make the capital investments to bring the system up to a state of good repair, let alone consider expansions or enhancements in service," Redden said. "And as the system deteriorates, you end up spending more money on just trying to maintain operations because you're operating an inefficient system. So it's kind of a bad cycle."
The RTA oversees the Chicago Transit Authority, PACE and Metra.
But as the RTA lays out its $1.8 billion spending plan for 2009, there's still some new spending for services and studies that could help the Kane County area.
The most significant is $3.5 million for the Ride In Kane program that started in February providing curb-to-curb service for seniors, the disabled and low-income residents.
The RTA also has pledged $100,000 to help develop the transportation aspect of Kane County's newest comprehensive plan.
The agency also will study whether demand exists for more buses to connect downtown St. Charles locations with the Geneva Metra station.
Finally, the agency will evaluate whether there is a need for a transportation hub in West Dundee that will include bus routes and a park-and-ride option to get to the Elgin train stations.
"It gets the ball rolling," she said. "The transit system is always evolving."
Tuesday was the 10th of 11 budget hearings. The last before the RTA board signs off on the budget Dec. 18 is at 6 p.m. today at the DuPage County Building auditorium, 421 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton.
To add your opinion to the RTA plan, visit movingbeyondcongestion.org or rtachicago.com.
Budget: Some new spending may still help Kane County