Proposed law would shake up status quo on state transit pet projects

Giving funding to politically expedient projects. Following traditional formulas for divvying up road money between downstate and metropolitan Chicago. Making sure every legislative district gets something the local representative can crow about during election season.

That's the way capital dollars are usually distributed for transportation in Illinois but some urban planning groups and lawmakers want to change the status quo.

In an interview Thursday with the Daily Herald editorial board, leaders of Chicago Metropolis 2020 and the Metropolitan Planning Council along with state Rep. Kathy Ryg argued that when the General Assembly passes what could be a $25 billion capital bill, there needs to be a logical way to figure out where the money goes.

At a time when dodging potholes is the norm, few would argue the need for a capital bill to fix aging infrastructure.

But instead of dividing the pie by political whims and geographic turf wars, the legislation backed by Ryg, a Vernon Hills Democrat, and Republican Rep. Sid Mathias of Buffalo Grove seeks to fund projects that are clearly needed, improve safety, create jobs, offer regional benefits, improve the environment, reduce congestion, and enhance not just roads but also public transit.

Under the proposal, experts from metropolitan planning organizations from across the state along with government and Illinois State Toll Highway Authority representatives would advise the Illinois Department of Transportation on goals and priorities for a capital program.

"It's a very important measure that invites participation from across the state," Ryg said.

Conventional political wisdom, however, indicates that the Transportation Investment Accountability Act will face an uphill battle against vested interests in Springfield.

But opposition makes the case stronger, Metropolis 2020 President George Ranney said. "There is no decent system for making capital decisions in Illinois. Billions of dollars are spent on unfounded decisions or political decisions," he said.

Asked to give examples of political public works programs, planners cited the last capital spending program pushed by disgraced Gov. George Ryan where $97.5 million was spent to "fix" the Hillside Strangler, the notorious bottleneck on the Eisenhower Expressway.

"All it did was push the pinch point further down to Mannheim," Metropolitan Planning Council President MarySue Barrett said.