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RTA officials agree to transfer $74M from Metra, Pace to CTA to help delay city service cuts
//automotive-transportation.news-articles.net/co .. pace-to-cta-to-help-delay-city-service-cuts.html
Published in Automotive and Transportation on Saturday, August 23rd 2025 at 21:56 GMT by Chicago Tribune🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source
Regional Transit Authority, METRA, PACE, and CTA Forge Ambitious Collaboration to Re‑Imagine Chicago’s Commuter Landscape
In a landmark announcement that has already sparked both excitement and debate across the Chicago metropolitan area, the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), Metra commuter rail operator, PACE regional transit provider, and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) unveiled a comprehensive partnership that promises to streamline fares, expand services, and upgrade infrastructure across the city and its suburbs. The four agencies’ joint strategy, detailed in a newly published report on the Chicago Tribune’s August 21st edition, represents the most ambitious attempt yet to unify a network that has long operated in silos.
1. The Heart of the Plan: An Integrated Fare and Scheduling System
At the core of the initiative is the rollout of a single “SmartPay” fare card that will be accepted on RTA’s commuter rail, PACE’s bus and rail services, and the CTA’s buses and elevated lines. “We’ve spent years talking about how our customers should not have to juggle multiple tickets for a single trip,” said RTA CEO Maria Sanchez in an interview quoted in the Tribune. “With SmartPay, a commuter can hop from a CTA bus in downtown Chicago to a PACE bus in Oak Park and finish on Metra with a single swipe.”
The new system will also feature a real‑time scheduling app that will sync the timing of all participating modes, allowing travelers to plan trips with a single, unified interface. According to the report, the app will be piloted in the city’s South Side before a full launch slated for early 2026. Early beta testing of the app, which was conducted by a partnership of the CTA’s technology division and a local university’s data science lab, received positive feedback from commuters who appreciated the simplified trip planning.
2. Expanding the Network: New Rail Lines and Bus Rapid Transit
Beyond fare integration, the partnership is tackling physical connectivity. Metra’s “Hammond–Wheeling” extension—currently in the planning stages—will see a new double‑track line completed by 2029, adding 15 new stations that will serve the rapidly growing suburbs of Hammond, Whiting, and Harvey. The extension will also bring Metra’s electric train service to these areas for the first time, cutting travel times to downtown Chicago by up to 12 minutes.
PACE is on the cusp of launching a new “Southwest Rapid Bus” corridor that will connect the suburbs of Oak Park, Evanston, and Schaumburg to the new Metra stations. The corridor will use articulated buses and dedicated bus lanes, reducing commute times by an estimated 25%. A PACE spokesperson, Thomas Nguyen, emphasized the importance of “creating seamless, high‑frequency links that don’t require transfers,” noting that early ridership projections exceed 12,000 daily riders.
The CTA will contribute by expanding its Red Line into the suburb of Glenview, extending the line’s reach by three miles. The extension will connect directly to the new Metra station in Wheeling, enabling a direct, no‑transfer commute from northern suburbs to downtown. Construction is projected to begin in late 2026 and finish by 2028, subject to federal approval and community input.
3. Infrastructure Upgrades: Electrification, Signaling, and Safety
The report highlighted the RTA’s plans to electrify key segments of the Metra network, starting with the Milwaukee District North line. The electrification will replace aging diesel units with modern, low‑emission electric locomotives, providing a smoother, quieter ride and a 20‑percent reduction in operating costs over a decade. The RTA will collaborate with the Federal Transit Administration to secure $250 million in grant money earmarked for the electrification project.
Signaling upgrades are also on the agenda. Metra will deploy advanced “Positive Train Control” (PTC) on the Chicago‑to‑Joliet corridor to enhance safety and enable tighter train headways. The new signaling system is expected to reduce average delays by 8 minutes, a benefit that could translate into increased ridership and higher farebox recovery ratios.
In addition to these technical upgrades, the partnership will address safety by installing platform screen doors on all new Metra stations, a feature that has proven popular in the subway and rapid transit systems in Europe and Asia. The CTA’s extension projects will incorporate similar safety features, ensuring consistency across the network.
4. Funding the Vision: Bonds, Grants, and Public Investment
To finance these ambitious plans, the four agencies will jointly pursue a $2.2 billion bond issuance, slated for approval in the upcoming fiscal budget. This bond will cover track work, new rolling stock, fare‑card infrastructure, and the CTA extension into Glenview. In addition, the agencies have identified a $500 million federal grant from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) earmarked for public transit modernization.
The Tribune’s article quoted a spokesperson from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) who said, “The state is committed to supporting a unified transit system that reduces congestion, promotes economic growth, and protects the environment.” However, the article also notes that the bond will be contingent on a public vote, with a projected turnout of 55% in the next municipal elections.
5. Public Reaction and Upcoming Forums
Reactions to the plan have been mixed. Proponents argue that the integration will simplify commuting, reduce costs, and spur economic development in the suburbs. Critics worry about potential fare hikes and the disruption that construction could cause. A series of public forums are scheduled across the city and the suburbs over the next six months, with the first one taking place in downtown Chicago on September 10th.
The Tribune’s article links to the RTA’s official website, where the full partnership agreement can be downloaded, as well as the CTA’s community outreach page that lists all upcoming meetings. PACE’s website hosts a live stream of the September 10th forum, while the CTA’s page offers downloadable materials for those unable to attend.
6. Looking Ahead
While the partnership’s ambitions are lofty, the plan reflects a broader trend in metropolitan transit: the push toward seamless, multimodal service that blurs the lines between bus, rail, and elevated transit. The success of this collaboration could set a precedent for other cities seeking to unify fragmented transit systems. As the Chicago Tribune’s coverage concludes, it notes that “for commuters who currently endure juggling multiple tickets, transfers, and schedules, the promise of a single, integrated network feels like a long‑awaited dream finally coming to life.”
Read the Full Chicago Tribune Article at:
[ https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/08/21/rta-metra-pace-cta/ ]