“This budget builds upon the tremendous progress we’ve made over the past year, and sets us on a path towards continued growth,” said CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen. “Getting to this point is the culmination of our commitment to delivering the kind of transformational public transit service that our region has never experienced before. I want to thank our dedicated workforce, our community of riders and transit advocates, and state and local elected officials for their support, and I look forward to working together as we chart a vibrant transit future in the years to come.”
Due to the funding uncertainty earlier this fall, CTA developed and proposed three funding scenarios:
- “Budget A: Baseline or simply filling the funding gap budget assumed typical state funding levels that solely address the existing structural funding gap.
- “Budget B: Growth budget that fixes the funding disparity and allows CTA to close its budget gap, plus make significant investments to deliver services being requested by riders.
- “Budget C: Reduced budget that has no additional funding to address the structural funding gap, resulting in a significant cut to service.
These scenarios, the agency says, were developed based on the potential funding CTA could receive pending the outcome of ongoing legislative efforts in Springfield last month. With the passage of SB2111, and with guidance from the Regional Transit Authority (RTA), CTA passed the Budget A or the Baseline budget, which fills the current operating budget gap in 2026. “CTA is seeking an amended budget for all service boards in the region to recognize the additional funding from SB2111 and enable transit in the region to begin delivering now on the key investments riders have been seeking.”
According to the agency, “the budget passed includes measurable progress on key investments and reflects feedback CTA received from thousands of riders who took part in new agency outreach events including more than a dozen ‘CTA Chats’ pop-up events this summer, three Budget Town Hall meetings this fall, the 2026 budget hearing, plus multiple surveys.”
Among the projects and initiatives CTA riders can expect in 2026 with the current budget include:
- “Service Enhancements: Ongoing service adjustments to better align and connect bus and rail services to offer more one-seat rides and enhanced transit connections.
- “Strengthened Security: CTA will increase the amount budgeted for CPD to further increase police resources assigned to work on the system. CTA will also launch new Safe Ride Ambassador models to pilot that were created with input from law enforcement, other security experts, transit advocates, mental health and social service professionals, and community-based organizations. These response models will be designed to assist people on CTA in visible crisis with support services and de-escalate potentially troubling situations.
- “Enhanced Customer Experience: Refresh & Renew: The cyclical CTA facility improvement program will include some additional customer-friendly improvements such as landscaping, benches designed for children and more station art.
- “Enhanced Customer Experience: ChatBot Phase 2: Reporting non-emergency matters and accessing real-time information via the CTA Chatbot will be easier and more personalized through additional AI investments that will enable the Chatbot to more readily understand customer reports, requiring fewer follow-up questions. It would also collect more details about incidents to increase resolution rates and provide more details and information on service.
- “Enhanced Cleaning Measures: Building on the expansion of cleaning personnel added the last couple years, in 2026 CTA will be piloting the deployment of mid-line railcar cleaning to address cleanliness issues that occur after trains have been in service for several hours. This will complement an already robust cleaning regimen that includes daily cleanings of every vehicle and station, plus monthly deep cleans and power-washing.
- “Expanded Accessibility Initiatives and Outreach: To further expand initiatives that increase accessibility to transit and the experience of riders with disabilities, CTA will add a position to focus on this important work, including expansion of front-line employee training on accessibility and supporting disabled riders; strengthening existing partnerships and building new ones among disability community advocates.
- “Focus on ETOD and Transit Policy: To aid efforts in redefining CTA’s role in driving more large-scale, Equitable Transit Orientated Development (ETOD) around transit hubs, CTA will create two new positions focused solely on driving strategy for critical cross-agency transit policy strategies, initiatives, and community-based partnerships that promote and leverage transit to connect people to opportunities that improve their lives.”
With an amended budget recognizing the additional transit funding for the region, CTA says it plans to build on all these investments, plus it will also make immediate service enhancements, including additional 24/7 rail service and expanding the Frequent Bus Network.
Also approved by the Chicago Transit Board was the agency’s $6.75 billion five-year (2026-2030) Capital Improvement Program (CIP), which prioritizes projects that focus on improving safety, reliability, accessibility, equity and meeting regulatory requirements. This includes the following projects and initiatives:
- Red Line Extension: Start of work to extend the line from 95th to 130th Street.
- All Stations Accessibility Plan (ASAP): Design and construction for the next series of rail stations to enhance accessibility.
- Elevator and Escalator Replacements: Upgrading aged elevators and escalators throughout the system.
- Rail Heavy Maintenance Facility Renovations: Upgrades to enhance facilities where heavy repair and overhaul work is performed on CTA series railcars.
- New Vehicle Purchases: Acquisition of up to 446 new railcars as planned under options for the 7000-Series railcar contract. The purchase of over 200 new buses, electric or other zero emission buses.
- Fleet Overhauls: Overhauling approximately half of the existing rail fleet and over a quarter of the bus fleet.
- Replacement of Heavy-Duty Vehicles and Equipment: Replacing over-age heavy-duty vehicles and shop equipment used for transit operations support.
Part of the capital program will also include the creation of a new Blue Line Forest Park Modernization Program Office that will be tasked with working in partnership with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) through the joint I-290 Eisenhower Expressway/Blue Line Corridor Development Office “to create a strategic vision and infrastructure plan for the 13-mile long corridor along I-290 expressway and the Forest Park Blue Line branch.” The goal, CTA says, is to advance planning efforts and have various aspects of this work shovel ready as funding opportunities become available.
