Dupage Policy Journal

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) said on Thursday in a statement that the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) will receive $1.25 million in funding through the Federal Transit Authority's (FTA) Transit-Oriented Development Pilot Planning Program.

The funding came from the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), a transportation bill passed by Congress in 2012. The grant will be used for ongoing improvements to the Red and Purple commuter rail lines.

“Under the leadership of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, modernizations to the Red and Purple Line are helping the Chicago Transit Authority double the capacity of its most used rail lines," Durbin said. "This federal grant will help continue that work, and ensure that the CTA’s aging infrastructure can keep pace with growing demand for its services. But additional funding won’t be available for any of our nation’s priority infrastructure projects if Congress doesn’t approve a long-term transportation bill like the bipartisan reauthorization passed by the Senate this summer. While public transit agencies like the CTA are working hard to improve their services, Congress must also do its part and provide the necessary resources to upgrade public transportation systems and infrastructure.”