The newly formed Northern Illinois Transit Agency, NITA, hosted an open house at Union Station Oct. 14, both to answer questions and to gather public input.
The event, one of several planned by NITA and Metra over the next month, took place as opposition is stiffening to a proposed privately funded rapid rail route that would run high speed trains from downtown Chicago to O’Hare Airport through Forest Park and River Forest.
Melissa Meyer, NITA’s communications manager, said feedback gathered through public meetings will inform NITA’s budget, service planning, capital and rider-experience work.
“We want to see where things are working and do more of it and where things are not and how we can fix it,” she said.
One issue NITA is keenly aware of is connectivity, and the lack of it. Meyer referred to “NITA hubs” or “interagency hubs,” where two or three different transit services interact but don’t directly or conveniently connect.
The Green Line CTA terminus at Harlem Avenue is one such hub as it intersects with Metra Train stop.
“We want to make sure that they connect better,” she said. “We’re gonna be using those NITA hubs as pilot locations for all kinds of new things like new signage, better connectivity (and) schedule coordination, because we know that that is an issue that people are facing, especially out in the suburbs.”
Meanwhile the agency is also talking up its early stage plan to ramp us rail service from the Loop to O’Hare Field (see sidebar).
Around the same time as the NITA open house, Metra unveiled a new battery powered train set it’s purchasing from manufacturer Stadler U.S. of Salt Lake City. Metra is buying eight four-car trainsets, with an option for eight more. The first train is expected to go into service in 2028, after extensive testing.
NITA, which officially began operations on Sept. 1, replaced the old Regional Transportation Authority or RTA, which oversaw but did not directly control Metra, the CTA and Pace. It is governed by a 20-member board of directors, five of which were appointed by Governor JB Pritzker, five by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, five by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle with the remainder coming from several collar county boards.
Meyer said the open house was NITA’s way of introducing itself to the public. “We really want to introduce the Chicago region to the Northern Illinois Transit Authority, and we want to make sure everyone knows that we’re listening,” she said.
“We want to hear their ideas about the future of transit. We know people are excited, they want the transit system to be better and we do too, so we wanted to invite everybody out here to engage with us.”
Meyer said NITA is “building off of its predecessor Regional Transportation Authority. “We’re here to work with CTA, Metra and Pace and provide better connections for riders, more seamless rider experience and we’re looking forward to improving transit for everyone in the region.”
NITA is developing its first budget for fiscal year 2027 for operations of the CTA, Metra and Pace. Survey responses will help NITA better understand public priorities as it develops the 2027 Regional Transit Budget and plans for transit improvements.
Meyer said NITA will work from a calendar year budget. A draft will be released on Nov. 3, and the NITA board will vote to approve it in December after a formal public comment period.
O’Hare Flyer opposition group focuses on improved Metra O’Hare service
Opposition energy to the O’Hare Flyer proposal has coalesced after the initial public outrage. The village of River Forest has retained a lobbyist and other advisors to assist in opposing the rail development, and a private organization, STOP (Stop The O’Hare Passthrough) is urging people to show up at the Oak Park Farmers Market Oct. 31.
Metra says its representatives will be at the market to “share information on regional rail” and to discuss expanded Metra service to O’Hare from Union Station. That service would utilize Metra’s North Central Service Line or NCS.
In its draft Systemwide Network Plan (SNP) released Oct. 16, Metra disclosed that O’Hare Airport “emerged as a major trip generator in each of the future scenarios” it studied. “For this reason, the NCS Line was selected as the North/Northwest target for crosstown service.”
Metra’s service between the O’Hare Transfer Station and Chicago Union Station downtown can be reached from the airport’s terminals via O’Hare’s “people mover.” But the service is currently indirect and is time consuming, inconvenient and infrequent, and will require substantial investment to upgrade.
In a statement, STOP is urging people to stop by the Metra event and tell them you want expanded NCS service. That means frequent Metra service to O’Hare, every 30 minutes, all day, from Union Station, as part of Regional Rail 1.0.”
“Metra has planned it and priced it. All it needs now is funding,” STOP said, although the plan would, like the proposed O’Hare Flyer, also require the cooperation of several freight railroads, including BNSF and Union Pacific.
On Oct. 17, more than 65 people gathered at Thatcher Woods to learn about the potential impacts of the proposed O’Hare Flyer rail project. Organizers plan a second event for Saturday, Nov. 7 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Thatcher Woods Pavillion, 8030 Chicago Ave, with a call to “Bring your neighbors. Bring your questions. Bring your voice.”
The proposed Metra O’Hare rail upgrades are part of planned upgrades to the Metra system estimated to cost $9 billion. Approximately $2.7 billion of that is earmarked for new rolling stock, track additions and signaling. The balance would pay for big ticket items including new mainline tracks and improved rail junctions, as well as storage and maintenance improvements.
Metra said a virtual public meeting will be held on Monday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m., to share the draft results of the SNP. The zoom link to the meeting will be posted by Friday, Nov. 13.