http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...,7667825.story
Rail funding: Chicago and other 'old rail cities' get a shrinking slice of federal commuter rail funding
Cities need $50 billion to upgrade aging transit lines, report says
By Jon Hilkevitch
Tribune reporter
May 1, 2009
Chicago and other cities with long-established rail systems are getting a shrinking share of federal funding for commuter trains, resulting in a $50 billion shortfall to modernize deteriorating transit lines, according to a report to Congress released Thursday.
The Federal Transit Administration study found that more than one-third of the commuter rail stations, trains and other facilities are in marginal or poor condition on the seven largest rail transit systems -- Chicago, Boston, New York, New Jersey, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Washington.
It means the systems often rely on equipment being used beyond its recommended life cycle and may be defective and dangerous. Parts of the Chicago Transit Authority's 224-mile rail system are more than 100 years old.
Excluding those seven aging transit systems, less than 20 percent of the transit infrastructure in other urban areas is rated marginal or poor, the study said.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said he will offer legislation aimed at helping bring older transit systems to a state of good repair. It would require a $50 billion investment followed by $5.9 billion a year for maintenance, according to the federal transit study, which was requested by 11 senators.
The FTA called for forming a temporary funding program to quickly reduce the backlog of rail projects. It also said the formula used to disburse rail-modernization grants should be changed to better meet the capital investment needs of established transit systems, which have lost funds to newer projects.