CTA de-crowding plan pays for service expansion on busy bus and rail lines by cutting services elsewhere

Last week, CTA announced that it will increase service on overcrowded train lines and bus routes that are bursting at the seams as transit ridership continues to grow. That’s the good news. The CTA will pay for it through smart reconfiguration of many routes, but also through eliminating some service altogether. While many transit riders will gain better service, some riders will lose access to transit or their ride will become far less convenient.

We’re glad the CTA is seeking the most efficient use of limited transit resources by updating routes to provide better service. But our region needs to add more trains and buses in addition to existing service levels, not instead of it.

We need to keep an eye on why the CTA is making some of these hard choices. CTA’s plans illustrate just how severe the funding problem is for public transit in the Chicago region, to the point where CTA can only pay for much-needed system expansion by eliminating service somewhere else. Tell CTA how these changes will affect you, whether good or bad, but also be sure to send a message to those who can truly make a difference: our elected officials. With their support, we could give transit the funding it needs and avoid having to make winners and losers out of our fellow transit riders.

Here's how you can help:

• Take Action: Tell state legislators and CTA to increase transit service, not just shuffle it around
• Attend CTA Public Hearing: Tue., Sept. 4 6:00PM at CTA 567 W. Lake St.