Committee on Transportation and Public Way meeting, May 30, 2024

• When: Thu, May 30, 2024, 10:00 AM (Chicago time)
• Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
• Status: Scheduled & Published
• Committee: Committee on Transportation and Public Way
• Video: https://vimeo.com/951632743
• Transcript: full text (38,019 words, official captions)

Video chapters

• 26:28 Public comment
• 1:06:27 Quarterly subject matter hearing with the Chicago Transit Authority
• 1:28:54 Jessica L. Fuentes: Said she was disappointed the opening focused on defending against the resolution rather…
• 1:31:18 Jessica L. Fuentes: Asked what solutions CTA is putting in place in 2024 and 2025 for on-time service,…
• 1:36:04 Gregory I. Mitchell: Invited the CTA president to introduce his staff and call on them to discuss progress.
• 1:37:23 Jessica L. Fuentes: Asked for an interactive map of slow zones and whether schedules are adjusted for them.
• 1:50:15 Scott Waguespack: Said public officials are accountable through the democratic process and that the push for…
• 1:53:36 Scott Waguespack: Asked what internal actions CTA has taken to address the projected deficit, including work…
• 1:55:58 Scott Waguespack: Asked what kind of person should represent CTA on the RTA board to advocate for funding.
• 2:01:14 Andre Vasquez Jr.: Said people of color face a certain kind of feedback but that service feedback is…
• 2:02:42 Andre Vasquez Jr.: Asked CTA to break out hiring by position and explain attrition and exit survey findings.
• 2:07:56 Andre Vasquez Jr.: Suggested quarterly hearings include CTA presentations of its data and improvement plans…
• 2:16:21 David H. Moore: Said CTA staff have been responsive to him, credited the president for federal funding, the…
• 2:23:07 Daniel La Spata: Described his family's daily use of CTA buses and said he would apologize if he had ever…
• 2:24:37 Daniel La Spata: Committed to a budget ask restoring about $20 million a year in rideshare revenue to CTA.
• 2:25:28 Daniel La Spata: Asked what is effective at reducing disturbances that cause 10-plus-minute delays,…
• 2:39:26 Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth: Thanked the president for Red-Purple Modernization and the Second Chance program and…
• 2:42:48 Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth: Said a ward survey and constituent requests showed concerns about cleanliness,…
• 2:48:55 Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth: Asked how many elevators are out of service and how aldermen should report…
• 2:51:16 Pat Dowell: Said she supports the president's leadership and that most constituent emails she received…
• 2:51:59 Pat Dowell: Asked for power washing of high-traffic stations and DBE spending data by ethnicity.
• 2:52:48 Pat Dowell: Asked whether CTA has discussed connecting unhoused riders to services and whether congestion…
• 2:59:46 Nicholas Sposato: Said he was troubled by the opening remarks and did not believe colleagues who signed the…
• 3:01:19 Nicholas Sposato: Asked what share of the workforce calls in absent daily.
• 3:03:53 Nicholas Sposato: Asked what percentage of CTA arrests lead to convictions and whether repeat offenders can…
• 3:08:55 Lamont J. Robinson: Said it was important for the president to defend his record and apologized on behalf of…
• 3:10:20 Lamont J. Robinson: Thanked the president for the Red Line Extension and asked how Chicago's transit funding…
• 3:21:04 Lamont J. Robinson: Asked how DBE participation has changed during the president's tenure.
• 3:29:31 Nicole T. Lee: Asked through the chair about hardest-to-fill positions, recruiting partnerships with CPS and…
• 3:30:42 Nicole T. Lee: Asked about Red Line on-time performance and extra trains for baseball games.
• 3:31:50 Nicole T. Lee: Asked what CTA is doing to develop vacant land and parking lots near stations to generate…
• 3:37:41 Stephanie D. Coleman: Said she appreciated the president's honesty and leadership, contrasted the resolution…
• 3:39:45 Stephanie D. Coleman: Asked for the projected revenue from the Red Line Extension and how it would help…
• 3:43:22 Ronnie L. Mosley: Thanked the president for the Red Line Extension serving the 21st Ward and for technical…
• 3:45:41 Ronnie L. Mosley: Asked what the extension and service will look like for seniors and people with…
• 3:51:31 Ronnie L. Mosley: Asked about partnerships with bikes and scooters and the vision for open spaces near…
• 3:59:01 Jason C. Ervin: Credited the president for the Red Line Extension, Green Line rebuild and Red-Purple…
• 4:07:25 Gregory I. Mitchell: Thanked the CTA president, said he felt more informed, and said the opening remarks…

Meeting notes

AI-written from the transcript. Speakers are inferred from cues in the recording, so treat names as estimates and check the video at the linked time.

The Committee on Transportation and Public Way held its second quarterly subject matter hearing of 2024 with Chicago Transit Authority President Dorval Carter. Fifteen public commenters spoke on topics including reopening the Green Line station at 63rd and Racine, bus lane enforcement, safety and cleanliness on trains, worker bathrooms, the Red Line Extension, and a resolution calling for new CTA leadership. In opening remarks, Carter described his career, the pandemic's effect on CTA's workforce and service, a projected $500 million deficit in 2025, and said he had faced personal attacks and racial epithets after a resolution calling for his removal. Members asked about service restoration plans, slow zones, data reporting, operator hiring and attrition, the funding formula, rail car deliveries, disturbances and policing, cleanliness, smoking, elevators, DBE participation, development near stations, accessibility, and the Blue Line; several members criticized the tone of his opening, while others expressed support for his leadership and the Red Line Extension. No action was taken, and the chair said the next hearing date had not been scheduled.

Topics: CTA leadership, CTA service restoration, Transit funding, Operator hiring and attrition, Rider safety, Red Line Extension, Blue Line, Bus lanes, Accessibility, Public comment

Agenda items discussed

• 26:28 Public comment: discussed
• 1:06:27 Quarterly subject matter hearing with the Chicago Transit Authority: discussed
• 4:08:38 Adjournment: passed

Alderpersons who spoke

• Gregory I. Mitchell (chair): Invited the CTA president to introduce his staff and call on them to discuss progress. (1:36:04); Thanked the CTA president, said he felt more informed, and said the opening remarks addressed an issue that needed to be addressed. (4:07:25)
• Jessica L. Fuentes (alderperson): Said she was disappointed the opening focused on defending against the resolution rather than challenges and solutions, while agreeing no official should fear for their safety. (1:28:54); Asked what solutions CTA is putting in place in 2024 and 2025 for on-time service, quality and safety. (1:31:18); Asked for an interactive map of slow zones and whether schedules are adjusted for them. (1:37:23)
• Scott Waguespack (alderperson): Said public officials are accountable through the democratic process and that the push for change was about accountability of the whole system, not personal. (1:50:15); Asked what internal actions CTA has taken to address the projected deficit, including work in Springfield. (1:53:36); Asked what kind of person should represent CTA on the RTA board to advocate for funding. (1:55:58)
• Andre Vasquez Jr. (alderperson): Said people of color face a certain kind of feedback but that service feedback is separate from personal attacks, noting who CTA serves and who complains most. (2:01:14); Asked CTA to break out hiring by position and explain attrition and exit survey findings. (2:02:42); Suggested quarterly hearings include CTA presentations of its data and improvement plans rather than an opening speech. (2:07:56)
• David H. Moore (alderperson): Said CTA staff have been responsive to him, credited the president for federal funding, the Red Line Extension and avoiding layoffs, and said this was not the time to remove him. (2:16:21)
• Daniel La Spata (alderperson): Described his family's daily use of CTA buses and said he would apologize if he had ever criticized CTA on the grounds of race, which he did not believe he had. (2:23:07); Committed to a budget ask restoring about $20 million a year in rideshare revenue to CTA. (2:24:37); Asked what is effective at reducing disturbances that cause 10-plus-minute delays, especially on the Blue Line. (2:25:28)
• Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (alderperson): Thanked the president for Red-Purple Modernization and the Second Chance program and asked for a commitment to address worker bathroom access. (2:39:26); Said a ward survey and constituent requests showed concerns about cleanliness, reliability, safety and especially smoking, and asked for a plan to address smoking. (2:42:48); Asked how many elevators are out of service and how aldermen should report constituent concerns to CTA. (2:48:55)
• Pat Dowell (alderperson): Said she supports the president's leadership and that most constituent emails she received supported him. (2:51:16); Asked for power washing of high-traffic stations and DBE spending data by ethnicity. (2:51:59); Asked whether CTA has discussed connecting unhoused riders to services and whether congestion pricing like New York's could fund transit. (2:52:48)
• Nicholas Sposato (alderperson): Said he was troubled by the opening remarks and did not believe colleagues who signed the letter were acting because of race. (2:59:46); Asked what share of the workforce calls in absent daily. (3:01:19); Asked what percentage of CTA arrests lead to convictions and whether repeat offenders can be banned from CTA. (3:03:53)
• Lamont J. Robinson (alderperson): Said it was important for the president to defend his record and apologized on behalf of the body to him for a colleague saying the issue was not about race. (3:08:55); Thanked the president for the Red Line Extension and asked how Chicago's transit funding differs from New York's and what the council can do. (3:10:20); Asked how DBE participation has changed during the president's tenure. (3:21:04)
• Nicole T. Lee (alderperson): Asked through the chair about hardest-to-fill positions, recruiting partnerships with CPS and City Colleges, and extra board shortages. (3:29:31); Asked about Red Line on-time performance and extra trains for baseball games. (3:30:42); Asked what CTA is doing to develop vacant land and parking lots near stations to generate revenue. (3:31:50)
• Stephanie D. Coleman (alderperson): Said she appreciated the president's honesty and leadership, contrasted the resolution with no such calls for other agency heads, and thanked CTA staff. (3:37:41); Asked for the projected revenue from the Red Line Extension and how it would help CTA's finances. (3:39:45)
• Ronnie L. Mosley (alderperson): Thanked the president for the Red Line Extension serving the 21st Ward and for technical assistance to businesses. (3:43:22); Asked what the extension and service will look like for seniors and people with disabilities. (3:45:41); Asked about partnerships with bikes and scooters and the vision for open spaces near transit. (3:51:31)
• Jason C. Ervin (alderperson): Credited the president for the Red Line Extension, Green Line rebuild and Red-Purple Modernization and asked the timeline for rebuilding Blue Line Forest Park branch stations. (3:59:01)

Exchanges between members

• 2:50:58 Sposato let Dowell speak ahead of him because she had another meeting.
• 2:51:54 Dowell underscored Manaa-Hoppenworth's point about cleanliness and power washing of stations.
• 2:59:11 Dowell thanked Sposato for letting her go ahead of him.
• 3:09:20 Robinson responded to a colleague's statement that the matter was not about race, calling it disrespectful to tell the president how he feels.

Documents

• Agenda
• Notice

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