Progress Illinois

It's no secret that the biggest barrier to creating a state-of-the-art public transportation system here in Illinois is funding. No one has made that more clear than the state's regional transit agencies, who've threatened to cut even basic services under recent doomsday scenarios. As we've pointed out repeatedly, one of the root causes of those financial problems is the way the federal and state governments divvy up transportation money. Surface projects --  namely road construction -- continue to be prioritized over mass transit. In a report (PDF) released yesterday, Environment Illinois (EI) explains how that's playing out in Illinois and across the nation:

In 2002, total revenues for public transportation provided $4.71 per transit trip from all sources—federal, state and local funding, along with passenger fares—which has fallen to $4.48 per trip in 2008 (adjusting for inflation) ... If the disparity between resources and demand continues to grow, our national transit network will become increasingly less and less able to meet the daily transportation needs of millions of citizens, as well as limit the tremendous potential energy savings and environmental benefits from public transportation.

While policymakers have been slow to catch on, it's encouraging to see that Illinoisans are increasingly taking advantage of mass transit. Ridership increased by more than 6 percent last year and is continuing to grow. At the same time, drivers cut back on their time behind the wheel by a whopping 3.7 billion miles in 2008, according to the report. Will this trend finally force policymakers to rethink the way transportation resources are distributed? In a press release, EI's Brian Spranger described it is a start, noting that “people are voting with their feet."

It's also important to realize that new federal stimulus and state capital dollars will only plug the dysfunctional transit funding system for so long. On that note, EI offers up a series of policy recommendations that could ultimately put the state on track to reach its full mass transit potential:

-Set goals for reducing transportation-related pollution and oil dependence to inform better policy;
-Level the playing field to fund transit and road projects equitably;
-Loosen regulations so federal, state and local funds can be used for equipment
-Incorporate the Clean, Low Emissions, Affordable New Transportation Equity Act provision (S. 575) into federal climate legislation to fund clean transportation efforts.

“Every additional dollar we spend on public transit makes us less dependent on oil," Spranger added in the release, noting that Illinoisans used 259 million fewer gallons of  gas last year -- equal to taking 450,000 cars off the road. “Instead of wasting money to build new highways that only increase our dependence on oil, our leaders here in Illinois and in Congress should drive more money to transit, rail, and better biking and walking options.”

You can read the whole report here (PDF).