Reforms reach beyond public transit

I get on the bus and tap my card like I have a million times before, but this time, I’m relieved to no longer wonder if this will be one of the bus lines cut once public transit reaches the fiscal cliff. With federal funding set to run out starting in 2026, northeastern Illinois’ transit system was bracing for cuts, and so was I.

As a conservation organizer with the Illinois Sierra Club, my organization worked alongside so many partners, transportation advocates, community members, students, legislators and more to prevent the third largest transportation system in the country (formerly the second) from slipping any further down on that very list.

Not through luck, but through years of advocacy, the Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act (NITA) passed — saving Chicagoland transit from deleterious cuts and promising improved rider experience through reform! These system improvements will deliver a single-fare system for riders, faster and more accessible service, and commitments to equity which include an Office of Disability Planning and Policy.

NITA’s benefits reach beyond just transit — the act includes policies that will eliminate parking minimums. In a recent Daily Herald article, Developer Drew Mitchell of Holladay Properties called parking a “hidden tax” that increases the cost of building new housing. Now that parking minimums will be abolished within one-half mile of transit hubs, communities will be able to benefit from more affordable, transit-friendly housing in those areas.

Thank you to all community members and public transit riders who took part in this win. Legislators heard us loud and clear: that we couldn’t hit the new year without securing and strengthening public transportation.

Emilee Chaclas

Chicago