http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post...0213-story.html
QUOTE
The Federal Transit Administration put the South Shore Line's two major projects — the West Lake Corridor and Double Track NWI — in its annual list of funding recommendations, a significant step in moving those projects forward.
The list was released Tuesday.
But the FTA, in line with the Trump administration's priorities, is not asking Congress to fund those and other new projects on the Fiscal Year 2019 list. It is only recommending that Congress fund 10 projects that already have full funding grant agreements with the FTA
"Nothing was a surprise," Michael Noland, the South Shore Line's president and general manager, said of the FTA announcement. "The surprise would have been if this administration actually put money into new projects.
"The administration wants to zero out the (FTA capital grants) program; Congress doesn't."
U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Gary, said he's working to see that Congress appropriates enough money for transit projects, including the South Shore's. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.
"I have been doing everything possible that when we complete our work, there is as much money as possible in that program," he said.
Despite Budget Director Mick Mulvaney's efforts to eliminate funding for transit projects, he said, Congress so far has put that money back into the spending plan.
The list was released Tuesday.
But the FTA, in line with the Trump administration's priorities, is not asking Congress to fund those and other new projects on the Fiscal Year 2019 list. It is only recommending that Congress fund 10 projects that already have full funding grant agreements with the FTA
"Nothing was a surprise," Michael Noland, the South Shore Line's president and general manager, said of the FTA announcement. "The surprise would have been if this administration actually put money into new projects.
"The administration wants to zero out the (FTA capital grants) program; Congress doesn't."
U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Gary, said he's working to see that Congress appropriates enough money for transit projects, including the South Shore's. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.
"I have been doing everything possible that when we complete our work, there is as much money as possible in that program," he said.
Despite Budget Director Mick Mulvaney's efforts to eliminate funding for transit projects, he said, Congress so far has put that money back into the spending plan.