Overview
- The RTA said it will not require CTA, Metra and Pace to raise fares in 2026 and expects no service cuts, pending a board vote this week.
- SB 2111 steers about $860 million a year from the state sales tax on motor fuel and nearly $200 million from road‑fund interest to transit, authorizes a 0.25 percentage‑point regional sales‑tax increase, and increases Illinois Tollway passenger‑car tolls by 45 cents.
- The measure takes effect June 1, 2026 and bars fare hikes during its first year in force; Gov. JB Pritzker has indicated he will sign it.
- The law replaces the Regional Transportation Authority with a Northern Illinois Transit Authority governed by a 20‑member board with a 15‑vote threshold for key actions.
- Backers say the plan averts a projected 2026 shortfall of roughly $230 million, while critics—especially from downstate and the suburbs—object to shifting road‑related funds and higher tolls that largely support Chicagoland transit.