Media Advisory
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 31, 2025
Media contact:
Ted Villaire
Active Transportation Alliance
(312) 563-1118
[email protected]
Illinois General Assembly Approves Landmark Investment to Build the Transit System Illinoisans Deserve
The Active Transportation Alliance applauds the Illinois General Assembly and Governor for passing transformative legislation that will secure the future of public transit in the region and deliver meaningful improvements for riders across Chicagoland.
Following many months of collaboration, lawmakers approved the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) Act, a landmark measure providing a $1.5 billion annual investment in public transit along with critical reforms to modernize and streamline service coordination throughout the region.
“This is the most significant step forward for our transit system in decades,” said Amy Rynell, Executive Director of the Active Transportation Alliance. “This investment doesn’t just save our transit agencies from crisis—it builds a stronger, fairer, and cleaner transportation network that everyone in our region can count on.”
Under the NITA Act:
- The Regional Transportation Authority will be replaced by the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA), a new regional agency with authority to plan, fund, and deliver a unified transit system for the Chicago metropolitan area.
- Transit services will be coordinated to better meet regional needs, with integrated routes and a streamlined fare system.
- Riders can expect safer, faster, and more accessible service, with renewed commitments to equity and mobility for people with disabilities.
- New policies will encourage walkable, mixed-use development around transit stations and increase affordable housing options nearby.
For the past two years, the Active Transportation Alliance has worked as a key leader in the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition, uniting advocates, riders, and communities to push for legislative action. The coalition helped make clear that investment in transit is essential to Illinois’ economic strength, environmental health, and quality of life.
“Our coalition made sure transit voices were impossible to ignore,” Rynell said. “We sounded the alarm, built solutions, and ultimately helped make this vision a reality.”
Rynell emphasized the legislation’s broad economic and environmental impact, noting that high-quality transit options will make getting around more affordable. “Transit connects people to opportunity,” Rynell said. “When we invest in reliable, low-cost transportation options, we give people better access to jobs, education, and everyday needs while building a cleaner, healthier, and more equitable Illinois.”
Earlier this week, the Active Transportation Alliance joined the Sierra Club, Better Streets Chicago, the Environmental Law and Policy Center, and other groups in delivering 20,000 petitions from Illinois residents urging lawmakers to take bold action on transit.
“This is a new era for mobility in Illinois,” Rynell added. “We can now deliver the world-class transit system our communities deserve.”
####
About the Active Transportation Alliance
The Active Transportation Alliance is a non-profit, member-based advocacy organization that advocates for walking, bicycling and public transit to create healthy, sustainable and equitable communities. The organization works to build a movement around active transportation, encourage physical activity, increase safety and build a world-class transportation network. The Active Transportation Alliance has more than 20,0000 members and supporters in the Chicago region. For more information about the Active Transportation Alliance, visit activetrans.org or call 312.427.3325.