Metra, Pace Approve Fare Increases
The increases are tucked into 2016 budgets that the Metra and Pace boards approved unanimously in separate votes Wednesday.
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The increases are tucked into 2016 budgets that the Metra and Pace boards approved unanimously in separate votes Wednesday.
A woman was hospitalized after her SUV crashed into a Pace bus Tuesday morning in north suburban Winnetka.
The Regional Transportation Authority is discussing an end to most reduced and free rides, should Gov. Bruce Rauner's proposed cuts to mass transit funding come true.
Fares may be going up for Pace suburban bus riders who use cash.
Travel to and from Skokie by CTA won't be Swift for a while, after an embankment crumbled, falling away completely from the tracks. A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) said Tuesday that it will take "several weeks to complete this (repair) work properly."
CTA spokesperson Tammy Chase said the area's transit agencies are going to bring in between 20 and 30 experienced beta testers from the Smart Chicago Collaborative's Civic User Testing Group to iron out those problems that exist.
There's some restlessness, but overall, Chicago-area mass transit users remain satisfied with service overall, despite delays, breakdowns, crowding and fare hikes, reports WBBM's Bob Roberts.
The region's top transit official warned Thursday that CTA, Metra, and Pace fare hikes and service cuts would be "difficult to avoid" if the legislature enacts budget cuts proposed in Gov. Bruce Rauner's budget.
A Regional Transportation Authority analysis released Thursday has determined that the CTA, Metra and Pace face $36.4 billion in capital needs over the next 10 years.
The Pace suburban bus system is dreaming big – $2.3 billion big – trying to get in on potential federal funding down the line for some of the system's long-term projects.
CTA bus ridership is down and the transit agency is offering a lot of reasons why.
Metra riders are used to carrying a ticket and tucking that paper under the metal tab in front of you. But CBS 2's Ed Curran says a new app will soon let you buy a ticket for Metra on your phone and keep it there.
Pace is the first Chicago-area transit agency to unveil its 2015 budget -- and it's good news for riders.
Heavy rains have caused major flooding across much of the Chicago area overnight, especially in the southwest suburbs, where at least two school districts were forced to cancel classes at all its schools.
Pace has decided to "go slow" with plans to increase the number of buses riding the shoulder on I-55.
More buses could be riding the shoulders of I-55 next month.
The CTA and Pace say they're not aware of any problems with the final changeover to Ventra cards. WBBM's Bob Roberts spoke with both agencies.
The Regional Transportation Authority may not even be around in a few months, yet it has just signed a 38-month, $5 million advertising contract targeting markets that have eluded the area's transit agencies.
Pace wants to make it easier this summer for CTA riders to get to the Brookfield Zoo.
More than 200 people lined up at the Jefferson Park branch library to make the switch Thursday. A few elderly customers said they merely waited until CTA came to them, because the trip to CTA headquarters in the West Loop was too much.
CTA officials said 86 percent of its fares are now paid with a Ventra card, and the agency is pushing the last of its riders to make the switch to Ventra. Pace riders have been slower to make the change, with about 60 percent of the suburban bus agency's fares paid with Ventra cards.
RTA Chairman John Gates said he wants the agency to concentrate on what he considers doable -- and said his priority remains finding new money for capital repairs and rehabilitation.
The polar vortex has blown a hole in the CTA and Pace budgets, but neither agency is pushing the panic button yet.
When Ventra was first unveiled in September, there were massive teething problems.
Getting around the city can be difficult due to the traffic, winding roads and constant construction. Let go of the stress and take advantage of the many different options for public transportation in Chicago.
Frank Gehry was known for designing the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
The owner of a K-9 training company has been found not guilty by an Indiana judge after nine dogs died inside a hot box truck in the summer of 2023.
The Supreme Court said Friday it will decide the legality of President Trump's executive order that seeks to end birthright citizenship.
U.S. Steel says it'll resume making steel slabs at its Granite City Works plant in Illinois amid strengthening demand.
President Trump has led the charge to create more GOP-friendly congressional districts in the 2026 midterm elections.
The Supreme Court said Friday it will decide the legality of President Trump's executive order that seeks to end birthright citizenship.
President Trump has led the charge to create more GOP-friendly congressional districts in the 2026 midterm elections.
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin is set to retire in 2026, but before he leaves Congress he is making one last attempt to pass the DREAM Act.
Former Chicago Tribune publisher and editor-in-chief R. Bruce Dold passed away this week.
Authorities say the FBI has arrested a man suspected of placing pipe bombs outside RNC and DNC headquarters on the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
A condo owner in Country Club Hills says he's forced to sell his home after his condo association failed to reimburse him for repairs to his leaking roof. Edward Hadnott's condo has sat empty since a major roof leak in 2022.
The U.S. stopped minting pennies this week, and some groups have issued a warning about the headaches that can create for some businesses and consumers.
Why is one school in the west Chicago suburb of Lisle paying a water bill three times higher than another? The answer has to do with a private utility company.
The Food and Drug Administration is warning about additional cookware brands that could be leaching lead into your food.
Walgreens said it will close its office space in Chicago's Old Post Office building.
The newest measles vaccination numbers released by Chicago Public Schools shows immunizations are finally moving in the right direction.
Two pregnant Black women recently faced alarming neglect at hospitals in Indiana and Texas, highlighting racial disparities in maternal care.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday signed a bill aimed at protecting vaccine access in Illinois.
Roseland Community Hospital on Monday celebrated the opening of a new sickle cell treatment clinic.
Consumers with the imported pans should throw them away due to the severe health risks posed by lead, the agency warns.
U.S. Steel says it'll resume making steel slabs at its Granite City Works plant in Illinois amid strengthening demand.
Traffic at O'Hare International Airport is growing faster than expected, and this has Chicago city leaders wanting to make big changes to future construction plans at the airport.
Small Business Saturday was disrupted by the winter storm for many business owners in Chicago, but in the Rogers Park neighborhood, a group of business owners came together to draw customers.
Three different times over the past year, popular and longstanding Chicago stage theater spaces have made headlines for their demise. But it's not all bad news by any stretch.
A federal judge has called out an immigration enforcement agent for using artificial intelligence to write the narrative of a use-of-force report as just a small part of a scathing opinion that rebutted federal officials' narratives about appropriate force used against protesters and others during an ongoing immigration crackdown in Chicago.
Frank Gehry was known for designing the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
Netflix on Friday said it will acquire Warner Bros., including its film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO.
Starting Wednesday, riders on the Chicago Transit Authority system will hear a recognizable Chicago voice during their commutes.
Three different times over the past year, popular and longstanding Chicago stage theater spaces have made headlines for their demise. But it's not all bad news by any stretch.
Joe Colborn, better known as Joe "JoBo" Bohannon on Chicago radio, died this week.
"Elf: The Musical" is now playing at the Auditorium Theatre. Vince Gerasole has a preview.
Cold with a patchy wintry mix Friday night. Lows in the mid-20s.
Netflix on Friday said it is buying Warner Bros. in a deal valued at $82.7 billion, merging the biggest streaming service with a storied studio.
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin is set to retire in 2026, but before he leaves Congress he is making one last attempt to pass the DREAM Act, which he first introduced in 2001.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson appears to reject most solutions offered in a budget proposal supported by many city council members.
Ten residents were hospitalized after a fire broke out at a West Humboldt Park apartment building overnight.
Frank Gehry was known for designing the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
The owner of a K-9 training company has been found not guilty by an Indiana judge after nine dogs died inside a hot box truck in the summer of 2023.
The families of the three men who were killed in a crash on Interstate 57 early Wednesday morning are pushing for more answers about what happened.
The Supreme Court said Friday it will decide the legality of President Trump's executive order that seeks to end birthright citizenship.
A Chicago woman battling ALS said she's been struggling just to get a disabled parking space in front of her Bridgeport home.
Days after new Cook County Chief Judge Charles Beach ordered an urgent review of the county's electronic monitoring program, Sheriff Tom Dart said this crisis isn't new, and that he's been warning lawmakers of problems for years.
Charles Beach was sworn in on Monday as Cook County's first new chief judge in 24 years, and takes over amid a political firestorm over what appears to be systemic issues with how accused criminals are being monitored before trial.
Some Chicagoans found out the hard way on Monday that the overnight winter parking ban is in effect.
The electronic monitoring system in Cook County has come under increased scrutiny, after a woman was set on fire in a horrific arson attack on the Blue Line, with critics demanding answers as to why the suspect wasn't already behind bars.
Sitting in 1st-place in the NFC standings isn't the only feel-good story for the Bears, as cornerback Nahshon Wright was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Month.
The Bulls dropped to 9-12 with their fifth loss in a row.
Braeden Bowman forced overtime for the Golden Knights when he put in his own rebound with 2:28 left in the third period.
Caleb Williams plans on picking up right where he left off the last time he faced the Packers.
The Bulls led by as many as 15 points in the third quarter, holding the Magic without a field goal for the first five minutes of the period.
The special edition locket was inspired by the James Bond film "Octopussy," which revolves around a plot to steal a rare Faberge egg.
Authorities say the FBI has arrested a man suspected of placing pipe bombs outside RNC and DNC headquarters on the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
A woman from Chicago's northwest suburbs appeared in court Thursday for a shooting that killed another woman in the South Loop in September.
The man charged with pushing a CTA passenger onto the tracks at a Blue Line station in Chicago's western suburbs on Monday was ordered held in jail, after repeatedly interrupting the judge and prosecutors during his first court appearance on Wednesday.
A divided Wisconsin Supreme Court has agreed to take a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of an immigrant rights group.
