Friday, May 01, 2009

Outlook Bleak on IL Mass Transit but Don't Tell Sen Sandoval

Mass transit has always gotten the short end of the stick in Illinois. This is not a knock against IL, because rail has been an afterthought in this country for most of the last century. IL does have very dire transportation needs, however, and these needs stem from decades of underinvestment in rail and its infrastructure.


Obviously the state’s inability to pass a capitol plan in more than a decade has left much IL’s transportation infrastructure desperate for investment. Mass transportation's needs, however, are more pressing then those of the IL roads system.


Mass transit's need for financial investment is urgent due to the fact that gas tax revenues are used predominately for investment in roads. Additionally,when there has been a capital bill, mass transit has only received $1 for every $2 spent on roads. This 2 to 1 transportation spending ratio is a product of down state legislators who view transit spending as money spent solely in Cook County, whereas road and highway funds will provide projects in their own districts.



IL’s mass transit infrastructure needs are projected at well over $20 billion.

According to a 2006 study commissioned by the Transportation for Illinois Coalition, the unfunded need for Illinois transportation projects exceeds $23 billion. That number has not been adjusted for inflation. Linda Wheeler, a transportation consultant for the Transportation for Illinois Coalition, said the findings mirror the Illinois Department of Transportation’s estimates of the unmet needs.



The RTA itself has requested $10 billion just to maintain its services and infrastructure over the next 5 years.

Metra, Pace and the Chicago Transit Authority officials say their agencies need about $10 billion in capital funding to replace old cars, buses, locomotives, stations and rail infrastructure - and to expand and improve service in the future.



To make matters worse, the demand placed on mass transit has grown rapidly and this growth does not appear to be an anomaly or just a temporary trend. Ridership has increased 9% over the last 5 years.


Both the number of miles of service available and the number of miles traveled by riders rose about 9 percent in those five years, the report found. The average number of annual rides taken per Chicago area resident also rose, from 69.6 in 2003 to 72.9 in 2007.

But the cost of keeping the buses and trains running rose faster than the rate of inflation, due to higher fuel, labor and health care costs. Capital funding sunk from $1.04 billion in 2007 to $345 million in 2007.

"You can see the system being stretched," said Joe Schwieterman, a transportation expert at DePaul University.



The need to fund transit is clear. Unfortunately, I do not have high hopes that transit’s investment needs will be meet. First, passing a capital bill is no small challenge. Even though everyone agrees on the need for a capital bill, no one has agreed on a funding mechanism and this is a huge obstacle.

“We’re continuing to work with Quinn and Cullerton to try to get something on the books. There’s no argument about the need,” he said. Finding an appropriate way to fund it “will require cooperation. We’ll use whatever mechanism that is legitimate and will get the job done. Two years ago, a lot of time was spent on gaming. Now, the gaming industry has pretty well collapsed, so I don’t think you can expect them to be participants.”

Brown said Madigan could support a plan to raise the gas tax by 8 cents a gallon, “but the governor has said he will oppose something like that. We’ll try to get a plan done. In the House we need bipartisan cooperation.” Brown said gas tax money can’t be used for nontransportation capital spending, “so we’d have to find another way to fund that.”


So while a capital bill is supported from all corners of government, it does not currently have a politically viable revenue source in the hopper. The GA could easily come to agreement on an 8 cents fuel tax hike to fund a proposed $25 billion capital plan. This solution may have support from Democratic Leadership, though Speaker Madigan has remained mum on where he really stands on the issue. Either way, the idea of a gas tax funded capital bill has not gotten any traction among rank and file members.

The only thing more unpopular then an income tax increase is a gas tax hike. Mix in a healthy amount of risk-adverse political decision making. Add a dash of active campaigning against the notion of a gas tax hike by Governor Quinn, which only heightens the political cost of supporting a fuel tax. The end result is a perfect recipe for legislative inaction.

Even if there is a capital bill, the division of funds at a 2 to 1 ratio does not bode well for transit. There is one legislator, however, who has made it his mission to ensure that transit funding will not be brushed aside by legislators or the Governor.


For weeks, Sen. Martin Sandoval, Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, has been pushing for a robust capital plan and gearing up for a fight to drastically increase the mass transit funding levels found in that capital plan.


On April 1st, in the midst of the mini-capital bill’s passage, Sen. Sandoval held a press conference to announce his support for the Transportation for Illinois Coalition’s capital plan and to declare his intent to lead the effort in the Senate for an equal split of transit dollars between mass transit and roads.

Sandoval proclaimed, “I intend to provide the leadership, along with the Senate, to make sure that transit is not forgotten”

(Here is the audio for that quote)


In an April 8th Tribune editorial, which mirrored the information presented at his April 1st press conference, Sen. Sandoval characterized Quinn’s plan as inadequate and summarized his policy prescriptions for mass transit.

The governor's plan designates only $1.3 billion in new state money for transit agencies within the RTA region: CTA, Metra and Pace. These agencies, independent experts and even the Illinois Office of the Auditor General agree that more funding is needed. The RTA estimates $10 billion in state investments are needed during the next five years—significantly more than Quinn proposes.

To address this, I offer three proposals.

•Increase by 8 cents a gallon the state's 19 cent per gallon motor fuel tax. In addition, increase the fees for driver's licenses and vehicle registrations.

•Though the traditional ratio of state funds dedicated to roads and mass transit has been 2 to 1, respectively, the world has changed and we must reassess that balance. Reliance on foreign oil, increasing environmental costs and energy prices that are likely to go higher when the recession ends make it clear that mass transit is a critical investment. State funding for roads and transit should be distributed on a one-to-one basis.



The PR campaign for public transportation continued on April 17th when the RTA invited 8 legislators, including Sen. Sandoval, to take an inside look at CTA and Metra facilities in order to provide some firsthand evidence to legislators as to the scope of the investment needs facing IL’s mass transit system.


The meat and potatoes of the Sandoval media buffet of his support for mass transit funding was an April 21 Senate Transportation Committee Hearing on the health of IL’s mass transit system. Here again, Sen. Sandoval announced his support for the Transportation for Illinois Coalition’s capital plan


While Sandoval had the backing of business groups, labor unions, transit officials and transportation experts, he was the only legislator making a pitch for the coalition’s proposal.

Sandoval urged swift action to hammer out a plan that could find enough votes to pass. “We are at a crossroads literally and figuratively here in Illinois, and if we don’t get it right today, I don’t know if we ever will.”


Sen Sandoval has not softened on his support for transit funding since the GA's return from spring break. Sandoval was extremely outspoken last week when the Governor's staff threatened to hold up $1 billion in transit funding provided by the mini-capitol bill passed at the beginning of April.

It appears Governor Quinn has delayed distribution almost $900 million intended for transit improvements in the Chicago area, part of a state mini-capital bill, incurring the wrath of state legislators. State Sen. Martin Sandoval (D-Chicago), chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, said the news came from Jack Lavin, Quinn's COO, and budget head Ginger Ostro. Sandoval claims CTA, PACE, and Metra were all told to halt planning on the current projects and to not spend any money. Said Sandoval, "We had a major signing ceremony for the mini-capital bill a few weeks ago with the governor -- and now he's doing a head fake. This tells me Gov. Quinn still has his running mate's playbook that he has dusted off the shelf." Meanwhile, Quinn's staff is saying the projects will be paid for. Quinn Spokeswoman Katie Ridgway told the Tribune, "there is nothing on hold, and it's the governor's intention that transit projects will get started this construction season."


I do not have high hopes for transit, though I think it would be a grave mistake not to take its investment needs seriously. And while there are certainly other legislators who are extremely supportive of mass transit (Sen. Bond for example), there is no doubt that whatever aide transit does receive will be thanks in no small part to the efforts of Sen. Sandoval.

That said, talk is cheap, and Sen. Sandoval is not known for his shyness with the media. Nor does the Senator have an a problem with frequently voicing his opinion. So I'll just wait and see what, if any, agreement the GA and Governor are able to cook up before I start handing out kudos.

One thing is for sure though, we have not heard the last from Sandoval on this issue.

3 comments:

Anonymous,  12:48 AM  

Sandoval is greedy when it comes to funding transit. In the US, 4.9 trillion passenger miles are moved over the roads excluding transit buses, while all modes of transit move 52 billion passenger miles (only 1% of the highway total). Yet Sandoval wants to give half the money to a mode that moves 1% of the people. And let's look further into transit. Intercity and local buses carry 4 times the traffic that intercity, commuter and transit rail do...and they travel the SAME ROADS that Sandoval wants to de-fund.

Providing better funding for transit may be a good social goal. But let's not kid ourselves about the disproportionate funding transit already receives. And let's not forget about the 90% of IL residents who do not live in areas conducive to car-free living.

Mike Murray 10:07 AM  

It is very probable that policy decisions, such as this country's decision to have roads as its primary transportation infrastructure, is the reason that so few rail miles are traveled relative to miles traveled on roads.


It is also very possible that some individuals who currently drive would prefer to use rail and public transportation if it were offered as a realistic alternative. To become a realistic competition to cars, transit needs
massive investment. No question about that one.

Rail is grossly underfunded Anony and you have grossly understated rail's use in IL.


Metra alone moves 320,000 passengers daily. There are only 13 million people in IL. Lets Say only 8 million of them work (probably high but I'll give it to you) That's at least 4% of IL riding to work on rail that's just on Metra.


78% of IL population lives in District one (the area containing Metra and RTA) All these people are aided by increased rail. More rail equals less cars on the road, less wear and tear on the roads. Rail is less costly to maintain in the long term then roads.


Rail's main use is not to move people, but to move goods. Rail moves more tonnage then semis and is a much more efficient method.


Economically, rail is the best way to move goods. More rail would save money and increase effeiceny and open up markets for some products and services of small businesses.


The plan Sandoval backs calls for major investment in downstate and central IL rail systems. This is meant to interconnect more businesses and residents of downstate IL to the Chicago-land area.


All of this would increase IL's productivity and grow its economy. In theory, IL's tax revenues should grow and allow for roads to actually receive greater funding in the long term then if rail remains under invested.


I don't think it will happen, but the numbers support Sandoval's view that Mass Transit is a much better investment for IL. Mass transit investment, especially rail, is good for all of IL. Just a fact.

Anonymous,  9:56 PM  

The Dan Ryan carries 300,000 vehicles a day, and it is only one of thousands of area highways and streets. At maybe 1.2 passengers average per vehicle, this one highway carries more passengers every day than Metra's whole system. And Metra is a much more extensive commuter rail system than any other one in the US except for NYC.

No doubt rail is a great way to move mass quantities of freight and passengers between fixed locations where there is great demand. For everything else in ground transportation, including short haul deliveries, last mile deliveries and distribution and point to point transportation where the rails don't go (including BUS transportation that carries 4x as many passengers as rail in the US), there's highways and streets.

Rail (transit, commuter and intercity) hasn't had a 50% market share of passenger transportation since the 1940's when we were a much less mobile society. It's gaining a little now from its rock bottom, and will continue to gain as the general population increases and massive investments are made. But don't expect it to ever break more than a 5% share nationwide for the foreseeable future under the most wildly optimistic scenario.

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