093_SR0173
LRB093 12009 DRH 16606 r
1 SENATE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, Public transit provides substantial energy and
3 environmental benefits; and
4 WHEREAS, Congestion now costs the Chicago Metropolitan
5 Area $4,000,000,000 per year in lost productivity, fuel, and
6 insurance costs; and
7 WHEREAS, The United States Congress and the
8 Administration should be urged to support increased funding
9 for public transit in the pending reauthorization of the
10 Transportation Equity Act; and
11 WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT)
12 has determined that the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) is in
13 need of reconstruction and renovation; and
14 WHEREAS, IDOT also has proposed expansion of portions of
15 I-290; and
16 WHEREAS, The Regional Transit Authority (RTA) is
17 conducting a study of potential transit projects in the
18 multi-modal corridor reaching out west from Chicago along
19 I-290 ("Central Cook-DuPage corridor"), one or more of which
20 may be viable alternatives to expansion of I-290; and
21 WHEREAS, The North and West Central Councils of Mayors,
22 representing municipalities in the Chicago area within the
23 corridor, have expressed support for the Central Cook-DuPage
24 corridor transit projects and the RTA study; and
25 WHEREAS, Chicago area transit agencies have submitted
26 numerous transit projects in the Central Cook-DuPage
27 multi-modal corridor to the Chicago Area Transportation Study
28 for inclusion in the 2030 Regional Transportation Plan for
29 the Chicago Area, including the CTA Blue Line extension from
30 Forest Park to Lisle, Phase I of CTA's Circle Line, which
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1 would double the capacity of the Forest Park branch of the
2 Blue Line, the Metra Union Pacific West Line upgrade and
3 extension, Ogden Avenue Transitway, PACE's Cermak Road Bus
4 Rapid Transit, and DuPage J Line Bus Rapid Transit; and
5 WHEREAS, Federal funding for major transportation
6 projects generally is conditioned on detailed analyses of
7 potential alternatives and environmental impacts in a Major
8 Investment Study and Environmental Impact Statement; and
9 WHEREAS, Existing use of I-290 causes substantial health,
10 safety, economic, and environmental impacts on the
11 surrounding communities that would be exacerbated if I-290 is
12 expanded; and
13 WHEREAS, Major transportation project decisions need to
14 be made by the affected communities and citizens with the
15 involvement of all transportation agencies; and
16 WHEREAS, The Village of Oak Park has been granted State
17 and federal funding to further determine the feasibility and
18 the scope of constructing a cap over all or portions of I-290
19 (the "Oak Park Cap"), in conjunction with reconstruction of
20 the highway, as a potential means of enhancing transit and
21 mobility options and mitigating adverse impacts; therefore,
22 be it
23 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL
24 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we support the RTA's
25 study and its objective to conduct a full-fledged Major
26 Investment Study for the Central Cook-DuPage multi-modal
27 corridor in a manner that examines all potential methods of
28 relieving congestion and increasing mobility in the I-290
29 corridor on a thorough and objective basis; and be it further
30 RESOLVED, That any further proceedings to consider
31 expansion of I-290 should be integrated into an evaluation of
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1 viable transit alternatives identified in the RTA study; and
2 be it further
3 RESOLVED, That any further proceedings to consider
4 expansion of I-290 should include detailed assessment of
5 potential environmental impacts by preparation of an
6 Environmental Impact Statement; and be it further
7 RESOLVED, That IDOT should halt design work on expanding
8 I-290 until the RTA study is completed and until a Central
9 Cook-DuPage multi-modal Corridor Council, comprised of chief
10 municipal elected officials, community and environmental
11 groups, and citizen representatives and involving
12 representatives of all of the transportation agencies for
13 northeastern Illinois, selects a preferred alternative or
14 combination of alternatives to address congestion and improve
15 mobility needs in this corridor; and be it further
16 RESOLVED, That the Oak Park Cap should be incorporated
17 into the design of a reconstructed I-290; and be it further
18 RESOLVED, That we urge the United States Congress and the
19 Administration to strongly support proposals for funding of
20 the Central Cook-DuPage multi-modal corridor projects and the
21 Oak Park Cap in the pending reauthorization of the
22 Transportation Equity Act; and be it further
23 RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
24 delivered to the Governor of Illinois, the Illinois Secretary
25 of Transportation, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, the
26 President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, the Speaker of the
27 U.S. House of Representatives, and each member of the
28 Illinois congressional delegation.