As the Chicago region faces a $771 million fiscal cliff, leaders have a clear choice. Act now to protect public transit — or wait until it’s too late. I urge decision-makers to choose action.
In Philadelphia, we’ve seen firsthand what happens when that choice is delayed.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, or SEPTA, which I previously led as CEO and general manager, is now confronting a $213 million annual budget gap — proportionally about the same as Chicago’s. Despite efforts to stretch every dollar, optimize routes and invest in ridership, the agency is now forced to plan for devastating service cuts — up to 45% across buses, trains, trolleys and regional rail — because of delayed and insufficient state funding.
The region is still hopeful for a solution. But despite months of verbal support from state leaders, no new funding has materialized. And promises don’t fund service. Without action by May 31, SEPTA must prepare to move forward with its contingency plan.
That means halting service improvements, freezing operator hiring and diverting attention away from rebuilding ridership. The consequences will begin even before the cuts take effect.
These are not doomsday scenarios. They are very real and very imminent, and they will profoundly affect how people get to work, school and critical appointments. Trust in transit cannot be rebuilt while preparing to take it away.
Philadelphia and Chicago have much in common. Both operate legacy transit systems that serve millions of riders across dynamic and diverse regions. Both are navigating post-pandemic ridership trends and rising operating costs.
But here’s the key difference: Chicago still has time to act before damage is done.
The Regional Transportation Authority and transit advocates are calling for $1.5 billion in new annual operating funds — not just to prevent service cuts but to modernize and expand service across the CTA, Metra and Pace. The agency is also proposing governance reforms to improve coordination, efficiency and accountability across the system. These changes would bring Chicago more in line with thriving global transit systems and unlock better service for riders throughout the region — if Illinois lawmakers provide the tools and funding needed.
Philadelphia’s experience is a cautionary tale. One recent estimate suggests that home values near transit could fall by nearly $7 billion; that means a slashing of tax revenue that funds schools, parks and public safety. More cars on the road will mean more traffic, more pollution and more stress on working families.
Health care leaders such as Penn Medicine CEO Kevin Mahoney have publicly expressed concern for the thousands of employees and patients who may be stranded by service cuts. Riders such as Stephanie Wein, who depends on SEPTA to get her child to day care and herself to work after a brain injury, fear losing their independence. Others, such as Dawn Enggasser, a single mother who uses SEPTA to reach her 1-year-old’s doctor’s appointments, say simply: “It’s not like it’s a luxury. It’s an absolute necessity for living a daily life.”
I know many Chicagoans feel the same about the service they rely on. You still have the opportunity to protect it.
But don’t mistake hope for a plan. Reform and funding must come before the May 31 deadline. That’s the only way to secure your transit system — and your region’s future.
Take it from Philadelphia: The cost of delay is too high.
Leslie S. Richards is a former general manager and CEO of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. She is the chair of the Transportation Research Board’s executive committee and a professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania.
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