HomeMy WebLinkAbout45-R-25_A_RESOLUTION_IN_SUPPORT_OF_LEGISLATION_AND_ASSOCIATED_FUNDING_TO_CREATE_(Final_Amended)_(1)_signed45-R-25
A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION AND ASSOCIATED FUNDING TO CREATE
A ROBUST, UNIFIED, EFFICIENT, ACCESSIBLE, AND MODERN PUBLIC TRANSIT
SYSTEM IN EVANSTON AND NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS
WHEREAS, the City of Evanston believes that all individuals living in or visiting the City, and
region, should be treated fairly and with respect and dignity; and
WHEREAS, the City of Evanston recognizes that as per the 2018-2022 American Community
Survey five-year estimates, 16.3% of Evanston households do not own a car and in addition,
15.3% of workers 16 years and older, and many Evanston community members who are youth,
seniors, living on low incomes, and those who do so by choice for a variety of reasons, rely on
public transit services to access work, school, and other activities; and
WHEREAS, the City of Evanston aims to reduce vehicle/car miles traveled through increasing
trips made by walking, bicycling and transit as per the City of Evanston Climate Action and
Resilience Plan; and
WHEREAS, the City of Evanston aims to reduce regional and local congestion by promoting
alternatives to car travel as per the City of Evanston Bike Plan Update; and
WHEREAS, according to the City of Evanston E-plan, a healthy built environment includes
“transit infrastructure that facilitates active transportation and supports ease of access for
individuals with mobility limitations”; and
WHEREAS, the City of Evanston recognizes that public transit use encourages community
interaction with the streetscape and forwards the Evanston Thrives Retail District Action Plan
goal to “promote street-level vitality”; and
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WHEREAS, the City of Evanston is an employment destination for approximately 33,000
workers from outside of Evanston as per the 2022 US Census; and
WHEREAS, City of Evanston goals include increasing transit access, information, and ridership,
improving service efficiencies, and advocating for improvements to the regional transit system
as per the City of Evanston Multi-modal Transportation Plan; and
WHEREAS, City of Evanston community members rely on transportation services administered
and provided by five publicly-owned transit agencies including RTA, CTA, Pace, Metra, and
Divvy, who do not currently have a unified fare structure, coordinated scheduling, or integrated
planning practices; and
WHEREAS, Evanston Township High School (ETHS), the city’s only public high school serving
more than 3,500 students, does not offer yellow school bus transportation, and as a result,
hundreds of students rely on CTA, Pace, and other public transit services as a daily lifeline to
access school, extracurricular activities, jobs, and essential resources—making reliable,
affordable, and accessible public transit critical to ensuring equitable access to education and
opportunity for all ETHS students; and
WHEREAS, City of Evanston community members consistently report that current, and
would-be, travel needs are not adequately met by today’s public transit system, citing low
service frequencies, limited nighttime and weekend service, inadequate ADA accessible
infrastructure and challenges with ADA services, insufficient schedule connectivity between
lines and agencies, frustration with the need for multiple fare payments to different agencies on
the same trip, service not arriving on schedule or at all, destinations unserved by the existing
fixed-route network, and feeling unsafe using our region’s transit system, as some of the broad
challenges that impact community access to school and school activities, job opportunities,
leisure activities, and overall efficient travel; and
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WHEREAS, northeastern Illinois’ transit system is at risk of a 40% service reduction, according
to the RTA, if the 104th General Assembly of Illinois does not implement a solution that
addresses the upcoming $770 million budget shortfall resulting from changes in ridership and
the exhaustion of federal COVID-era funding for transit in early 2026; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), in its Plan of Action for
Regional Transit, a report commissioned by the Illinois General Assembly, recommended that a
total of $1.5 billion in additional annual operating funding be used to deliver transit service
improvements systemwide; and
WHEREAS, the improvements funded by the $1.5 billion in additional operating funding include
more frequent bus and train service, extended hours of service, bus rapid transit and bus priority
service, and improved maintenance of stations and vehicles; and
WHEREAS, the citizens, businesses, schools, and other institutions in Evanston will benefit
from such transit service improvements.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
EVANSTON, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS:
SECTION 1: The City Council hereby recognizes the need for significant improvements
to Evanston’s public transit service and infrastructure in order to enable existing and increasing
public transit use in the City of Evanston in order to meet City equity, climate, health, and
economic goals.
SECTION 2: The City Council hereby requests significant transit improvements, in
reflection of ongoing community calls for better transit, including:
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1. Support for significant improvements to capital assets and service frequency
meeting the needs of riders across all lines including at night and on the weekends,
as ridership grows;
2. Station infrastructure that supports ADA and equitable access to Evanston rail
stations through the use of elevators and/or ramps where applicable, a modern
paratransit reservation system, and improvements to para-transit and on-demand
service that allow for increased schedule flexibility for people of all physical abilities
including those who use wheelchairs;
3. A unified and updated transit network that provides all Evanston residents with
access to a local transit line within a 400 meter, or 1300 feet ,distance from their
place of residence that enables all Evanston community members to access
important points of interest in Evanston and the region including the lakefront, major
grocery stores, and employment and educational centers;
4. Increased safety across all systems that encourage increased ridership, including
dedicated transit staff trained in community support and de-escalation techniques, to
support a safe and comfortable transit environment;
5. A regional program to support, maintain, and increase bus shelters, street
seating, and other associated transit infrastructure;
6. Programming that supports increased transit use and access to the transit system
including programs for students and those who face financial barriers;
7. Robust integration between all regional services currently offered by CTA, Divvy,
Metra, Pace, and RTA; that is easily navigable and accountable to the transit-riding
public and relevant staff; delivering comprehensive and coordinated service
planning, scheduling, fares, community engagement, customer information,
budgeting, and capital planning;
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SECTION 3: The City Council hereby calls on the 104th General Assembly of the State of
Illinois and other legislative bodies to adopt legislation and associated funding that ensures
current services are not cut or eliminated and creates a robust, integrated, efficient, and modern
public transit system in Evanston and Northeastern Illinois.
SECTION 4: That this Resolution 31-R-25 shall be in full force and effect from and after its
passage and approval in the manner provided by law.
Introduced April 28, 2025 Approved:
Adopted: April 28, 2025 __________________________, 2025
Daniel Biss, Mayor
ATTEST: Approved as to Form
_______________________________
Stephanie Mendoza, City Clerk Alexandra Ruggie, Corporation Counsel
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