CHICAGO (CBS) — A Regional Transportation Authority analysis released Thursday has determined that the CTA, Metra and Pace face $36.4 billion in capital needs over the next 10 years.
The numbers astonished two suburban RTA board members. Director Blake Hobson said the number seems “staggeringly high” and director William Coulson called it “arbitrary.” RTA Chairman Kirk Dillard said it’s not, but said it matters little if the figures are “off a bit.”
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Dillard announced formation of an interagency task force to step up the lobbying effort in Washington and Springfield.
At a separate meeting Thursday, Metra Board member Norman Carlson said many cities complain about infrastructure dating back to the Eisenhower administration. He said a key Metra junction has not been modernized since the 1930s, that the Electric District power system dates back to 1924, and said bridges scheduled for replacement on the Union Pacific North Line date to 1896 and 1897.
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