Andrade Backs Legislation Improving Local Public Transit

CHICAGO, Ill. – Continuing his steadfast fight for public transit reform and responsible development, state Rep. Jaime Andrade, D-Chicago, passes legislation to make trains and buses safer and more reliable and ensure transit is optimized for riders. 

“We couldn’t let public transportation fail, but pouring taxpayer dollars into a broken system isn’t a solution either,” said Andrade. “This legislation responsibly invests in public transit while making sure lasting reforms are in place to prevent future financial crises. NITA will be a system riders can depend on for consistent fare planning, region-wide transit scheduling and meaningful safety mechanisms. Riders shouldn’t be worried that service on their local bus or train line will be cut because of fiscal mismanagement, and under this system, they won’t have to.”

The Andrade-backed Senate Bill 2111 creates the Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act to reform, fund and rescue regional public transit. This legislation respects taxpayers and ensures the system carrying hundreds of thousands daily is seamless and dependable by: 

• Creating better oversight: by installing independent and internal fiscal auditors to ensure funds are not mismanaged, creating an equitable distribution of NITA board members representing every corner of the service region and coordinating development projects so no one agency is prioritized over another.
• Making fares and trip planning easier: by centralizing fare policy and coordinating fares and scheduling across agencies.
• Supporting responsible development: by creating the Office of Transit-Oriented Development to promote housing, business and walkable development near transit stations. Municipalities retain zoning authority and must consent to any development, ensuring local control.
• And, keeping riders safe: by creating the Office of Transit Safety and Experience to coordinate with law enforcement and social services, deploying mental health ambassadors to address those experiencing a mental emergency in or along the system, and establishing the Law Enforcement Task Force to create future recommendations for securing the system. 

“This bill and the creation of NITA takes us a step closer to safe, reliable transportation in our community and around the state,” said Andrade. “Transportation quality will improve not just in the long term, but also in the short term through added safety measures for riders and workers. There is still plenty of work to be done, but we are on the right track to truly improve our transportation system.”