Metra
Metra may invest $9.1 billion in regional rail
The agency released a draft of a study examining potential ways to offer more frequent train service.
Public steps inside U.S.’s first battery-powered train
Metra’s groundbreaking train feature modern seats and a futuristic battery car.
Boston spent $765 million to lease battery-powered trains
The trains will serve Boston’s Fairmount Line for fifteen years.
Chicago to showcase country’s first battery-operated passenger train
Metra estimates the trains will be ready for passenger use around the start of 2028.
Chicago-area transit gains new regional authority
The new leadership will preserve all previous services and bus and train operators.
The Vast Majority of Riders Suspended by Chicago Transit Agencies are Black or Latino
The agencies are allowed to ban riders who are accused of violent or threatening behavior.
Illinois Rescues Transit With $1.5 Billion Bill, Creates New Authority
The bill increases tollway charges and the sales tax in some counties but excludes prior proposals to tax entertainment and billionaires.
Chicago Transit Agencies on Brink of Major Crisis
Without additional funding, regional transit agencies will be forced to cut services by 40 percent.
Chicago Transit Faces Severe Service Cuts
Metra officials warn the agency could cut service by as much as 40 percent to make up for a massive budget shortfall.
Chicago Commute Times Could Double Without New Transit Funding
A dire warning from regional transit leaders paints a bleak scenario for traffic if agencies are forced to cut service.
Chicago Transit Leaders Oppose Merger Legislation, Pleading for More Funding
Ahead of a multi-million dollar fiscal cliff in 2026, CTA, Metra, and Pace pushed back on a potential merger at the first of several hearings to determine their futures in the wake of decreased ridership.
Chicago Transit Ridership Continues to Grow
The city’s three regional agencies are seeing ridership reaching 64 percent of 2019 levels.
Study: Loss of Public Transit in Chicago Would Have ‘Severe’ Mobility, Economic Consequences
The first-of-it’s kind study found that without public transit, Chicago would lose an estimated $35 billion in economic activity annually and the quality of life of residents, particularly women and low-income groups, would take a major hit.
Proposed Legislation Would Consolidate Chicago Transit Agencies
State lawmakers say the move could cut down on competition and make regional transit more efficient for riders.
Chicago Trains Make More Room for Bikes
Since Metro launched a new bike-friendly policy in February, the number of bikes on its trains rose by 70 percent.
Chicago Train Track Heaters Put on Fiery Show
Metra workers are lighting up heaters designed to prevent train equipment from malfunctioning, making the tracks look ablaze with fire.
Rail Electrification: Caltrain adds BEMUs to its EMU Order
Caltrain, the San Francisco-to-San Jose commuter railroad, plans to begin electrified operation next year on its 49-mile mainline. A 28-mile extension south to Gilroy would continue to be served by diesel trains, with one train powered by battery.
Chicago Transit Could See Consolidated Agencies, Fare Systems
A report makes recommendations for closing the region’s transit funding gap and improving service frequency and reliability.
Chicago Awarded Federal Funding for Accessible Train Stations
The city received a federal grant geared toward improving accessibility at CTA and Metra stations, close to a third of which lack ADA compliance.
Alternative Railroad Electrification
Rather than building costly overhead electrification infrastructure to convert a Chicago-area commuter rail line from polluting diesel power to emission-free electricity, the Metra Board of Directors chose a far less expensive and quicker route.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
