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thomasbamonte.bsky.social
Chicago. Transportation law, policy, and technology mostly. Senior Advisor, Metropolitan Planning Council. Views my own. One ticket, one timetable, one network....
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Under current law the regional transportation authority for the Chicago region, @rtachicago.bsky.social, has no guaranteed role by statute in recruiting, selecting, evaluating, or terminating executive directors of the transit service providers--CTA, Metra, Pace. chi.streetsblog.org/2025/06/03/w...

submitted 14 hours ago • 1 comment

High-speed Archer Avenue claims another victim. Sad coincidence, but the alderperson serving in that area, #AldSilvanaTabares, helped defeat a City Council effort earlier this year to lower the speed limits in Chicago. chi.streetsblog.org/2025/06/07/t...

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Politicians, agencies, experts and advocates weigh in on the transit funding cliffhanger. This new post includes a roundup of recent comments, and bakery-fresh statements from CTA, Metra, Pace, and DePaul transportation seer Joe Schwieterman. @ctaction.org @stevevance.net @betterstreetschicago.org

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

From our roundup of recent takes on #TransitFundingIndecision2025: DePaul transportation planning whiz Joe Schwieterman has some ideas: "If a coalition of mayors could come to together with a unified plan, it would be big help." 🤔 💡 chi.streetsblog.org/2025/06/05/p...

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

A look by @crainschicago.bsky.social at the state of play in the Illinois General Assembly on the transit legislation (HB 3438) that was approved by the Senate but not voted on in the House. www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/why...

submitted 2 days ago • 2 comments

Article by Phillip Plotch at Eno Transportation Center. Eno played a key research role for CMAP’s Plan of Action for Regional Transit, the blueprint for the Illinois transit governance/funding reform effort. enotrans.org/article/dram...

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

[email protected] not a fan of a $1.50 fee on deliveries by motor vehicles (w/groceries, drugs, businesses <$500K sales/yr., and bike deliveries exempted); calls for taxing ultra rich for transit. What IL options to tax ultra rich are legal, ~feasible? chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/20...

submitted 4 days ago • 1 comment

With all eyes on transit funding/governance reform in the Chicago region--can't overlook that @illinoisdot.bsky.social and its Chicago DOT compatriot #CDOT have plans in place to lock in North DuSable Lake Shore Drive #NDLSD as an expressway in a park without dedicated mainline lanes for buses.

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

[email protected] dunks on @govpritzker.illinois.gov as providing a poor model for California as it wrestles with its transit funding challenges. (Actually, Gov. P. staff was actively engaged in the process that resulted in many of the non-fiscal provisions of the transit reform bill.)

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

California legislation @scottwiener.bsky.social encouraging housing near transit advances. #SB79 Somewhat similar provisions were in the transit reform bill (HB 3438) that stalled in the Illinois General Assembly. davisvanguard.org/2025/06/sb-7...

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

[email protected] pulls no punches when it comes to Mayor Johnson and public transit.

submitted 4 days ago • 1 comment

Part two of the @chi.streetsblog.org #AustinBusch sorting through the aftermath of the Illinois General Assembly's failure to pass the transit reform bill. chi.streetsblog.org/2025/06/02/t...

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

Part one of the @chi.streetsblog.org #AustinBusch sorting through the aftermath of the Illinois General Assembly's failure to pass the transit reform bill. chi.streetsblog.org/2025/06/02/n...

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

IL Senate hammered out a governance structure baked in the bill it passed (HB 3438) after months of hearings followed by some weeks of negotiations among some key stakeholders. Reopening the governance issue will detract from now needed single-minded focus on funding, imperiling staving off cuts.

submitted 5 days ago • 1 comment

Here are the Illinois state senators representing the Chicago region who voted against the transit reform bill (HB 3438). Can any of these senators be persuaded to support the transit bill to stave off service cuts and improve transit service throughout the region?

submitted 5 days ago • 2 comments

Here are the Illinois state senators (last names M-Z) representing the Chicago region that voted in favor of the transit reform bill (HB 3438). Their continued support will be essential in the months ahead as the Governor/ILGA wrestle w/transit governance and reform.

submitted 5 days ago • 1 comment