Durbin, Duckworth Announce $118 Million In Additional American Rescue Plan Funding For CTA
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $118 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding awarded to the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). This funding is in addition to $912.1 million in ARP funds previously awarded to the CTA and will help the transit agency continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, support operating expenses, and prevent cuts to the CTA workforce.
“As the country’s second largest public transportation system and the only major U.S. public transit agency to not reduce scheduled service throughout the pandemic, the CTA and its workers have been providing essential service to those who need it most,” Durbin said. “Robust and reliable public transit is critically important for Chicagoans and our region’s economic recovery, which is why Senator Duckworth and I strongly advocated for this federal relief funding.”
“Thanks to the efforts of Democrats, CTA will have more of the resources needed to improve services, protect jobs for working Illinoisans and get folks to where they’re going faster and more safely,” Duckworth said. “I’m proud to see the American Rescue Plan continuing to benefit Chicago and all of Illinois as we work to get to the other side of this pandemic, and I’ll keep working alongside Senator Durbin to help ensure our state’s transportation systems have the support they need.”
“Since the onset of the pandemic, the CTA has worked extremely hard to provide service to essential workers and others with vital travel needs,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “CTA continues to run 24/7, providing as much service as possible to Chicago and 35 suburbs. This critical federal funding allows CTA to continue providing the essential transit service our region relies on. We are grateful for the leadership of Senators Durbin and Duckworth, and the entire Illinois delegation, and their support of our region’s ongoing efforts to emerge from the pandemic.”
Last month, Durbin and Duckworth led members of the Illinois congressional delegation in a letter to the FTA in support of the CTA’s application for funding.
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