Here's the latest out of Springfield:
A bill that would have provided millions of dollars for mass transit failed in the Illinois House today, increasing the likelihood that the CTA will go ahead with drastic service cuts and fare increases on Sept. 16. Pace would also increase fares on that date.
The bill to raise the RTA's portion of the state sales tax in Cook and the collar counties to fund transit needed 10 more votes to pass.
House Speaker Mike Madigan and other Democrats were the main supporters of the measure, but many House Republicans voted against it, citing the need for a capital plan to go along with the short-term funding mechanism set up by the bill.
For the last 27 years, I have lived across the street from the red line. And for the last 7-8 weeks, they have been doing repair work outside my bedroom window, from 10:30pm to approx. 4:00am. This means, for the last 2 months, my sleep has been repeatedly interupted 2-3 times a week. At first, my attitude was "grin and bear it". It has to be done...now, in reading the report about the blue line derailment, I know realize that these "slow zones" are really cta "screw you" zones. I am now really angry everytime the fog horn blows ( in the middle of the nite) (Last week wednesday, the fool would blow it 3 times in a row, all nite long.)Why does it take 2 months to repair a slow zone? There are supposed to be 40 slow zones on the red line...going the pace they are going, it will be several years to repair them all. What are the big noisy equipment they bring out every nite? Are those iron workers pounding all nite long?...Believe me, cta has even did work on sunday nites. Please do not forget the red line when reporting on the repairs.