June 22, 2010
“These incidents underscore the need for Congress to pass legislation allowing for stronger federal oversight of our nation’s mass transit systems,” wrote Durbin in his letter to the Chairman of the Banking Committee, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT). “There will be severe damage to the livability and economic viability of our urban areas if we do not ensure the safety and reliability of our largest and oldest rail transit systems…These older systems create unique safety issues and I encourage you to pay particular attention to them as your Committee considers your legislation.”
A study by the Federal Transit Administration released in April 2009 found that 1/3 of the facilities, stations and vehicles used in the seven largest rail transit systems – Chicago, Boston, New York, New Jersey, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. – are less than adequate. The total cost to bring these rail transit agencies back into a state of good repair would be $50 billion and $5.9 billion each year to maintain. The transit systems in Northeast Illinois alone estimate their state of good repair backlog needs at $13 billion over the next ten years.
Text of the letter appears below:
The Honorable Christopher J. Dodd
Chairman
U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
534 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Chairman Dodd:
I am writing to commend you for your work to develop bipartisan transit safety legislation and encourage you to act on this legislation as soon as possible. As you know, one year ago today, a tragic crash of a Red Line Metro train in D.C. cost the lives of eight passengers and one train conductor. On Sunday, a CTA Red Line train travelling in Chicago’s subways was enveloped in smoke sending 19 passengers to area hospitals, some with serious smoke inhalation injuries. These incidents underscore the need for Congress to pass legislation allowing for stronger federal oversight of our nation’s mass transit systems.
In 2007, you joined me and ten other Senators in supporting an amendment asking the Federal Transit Administration to study the condition of our nation’s biggest rail transit systems. The FTA study found our seven largest transit systems face a backlog of $50 billion in state of good repair capital needs. The transit systems in Northeast Illinois estimate their state of good repair backlog needs at $13 billion over the next ten years.
The oldest of these large rail systems, like those found in Chicago, Philadelphia and New York, are struggling with the demands of increased ridership and aging infrastructure with some of their rail assets exceeding their 100th year of service. These older systems create unique safety issues and I encourage you to pay particular attention to them as your Committee considers your legislation.
There will be severe damage to the livability and economic viability of our urban areas if we do not ensure the safety and reliability of our largest and oldest rail transit systems. Your legislation strives to bring federal resources and oversight to improve the safety of local mass transit systems. I share your goal and stand ready to work with you to provide public transportation users with the most reliable, viable, and safe mass transit systems.
Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
U.S. Senator
Durbin Stresses Urgency of Federal Rail Safety
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged the Senate Banking Committee to work quickly in drafting rail safety legislation. Durbin pointed to two events that underscore the need for Congressional action: the tragic crash of a Red Line Metro train in Washington, D.C. one year ago today which cost the lives of nine people and the CTA Red Line train travelling in Chicago’s subways that was enveloped in smoke on Sunday sending 19 passengers to area hospitals.“These incidents underscore the need for Congress to pass legislation allowing for stronger federal oversight of our nation’s mass transit systems,” wrote Durbin in his letter to the Chairman of the Banking Committee, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT). “There will be severe damage to the livability and economic viability of our urban areas if we do not ensure the safety and reliability of our largest and oldest rail transit systems…These older systems create unique safety issues and I encourage you to pay particular attention to them as your Committee considers your legislation.”
A study by the Federal Transit Administration released in April 2009 found that 1/3 of the facilities, stations and vehicles used in the seven largest rail transit systems – Chicago, Boston, New York, New Jersey, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. – are less than adequate. The total cost to bring these rail transit agencies back into a state of good repair would be $50 billion and $5.9 billion each year to maintain. The transit systems in Northeast Illinois alone estimate their state of good repair backlog needs at $13 billion over the next ten years.
Text of the letter appears below:
The Honorable Christopher J. Dodd
Chairman
U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
534 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Chairman Dodd:
I am writing to commend you for your work to develop bipartisan transit safety legislation and encourage you to act on this legislation as soon as possible. As you know, one year ago today, a tragic crash of a Red Line Metro train in D.C. cost the lives of eight passengers and one train conductor. On Sunday, a CTA Red Line train travelling in Chicago’s subways was enveloped in smoke sending 19 passengers to area hospitals, some with serious smoke inhalation injuries. These incidents underscore the need for Congress to pass legislation allowing for stronger federal oversight of our nation’s mass transit systems.
In 2007, you joined me and ten other Senators in supporting an amendment asking the Federal Transit Administration to study the condition of our nation’s biggest rail transit systems. The FTA study found our seven largest transit systems face a backlog of $50 billion in state of good repair capital needs. The transit systems in Northeast Illinois estimate their state of good repair backlog needs at $13 billion over the next ten years.
The oldest of these large rail systems, like those found in Chicago, Philadelphia and New York, are struggling with the demands of increased ridership and aging infrastructure with some of their rail assets exceeding their 100th year of service. These older systems create unique safety issues and I encourage you to pay particular attention to them as your Committee considers your legislation.
There will be severe damage to the livability and economic viability of our urban areas if we do not ensure the safety and reliability of our largest and oldest rail transit systems. Your legislation strives to bring federal resources and oversight to improve the safety of local mass transit systems. I share your goal and stand ready to work with you to provide public transportation users with the most reliable, viable, and safe mass transit systems.
Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
U.S. Senator