By Jon Hilkevitch and Glenn Jeffers
Tribune staff reporters
Published October 5, 2004

More than one-fifth of bus and rail operations would be scrapped and customers would have to wait longer and walk farther for their rides under a "gridlock budget" the Chicago Transit Authority reluctantly proposed Monday.

Demands for the resumption of weekend trains on the Blue Line serving Pilsen, Lawndale and other West Side neighborhoods would continue to be unmet under the hardship budget.

And disabled riders in need of special-service vehicles would see transportation costs double to $150 a month, even if state lawmakers find the $82.5 million CTA President Frank Kruesi said is essential to close a budget gap and avoid "eviscerating the system."

"This is not a threat. This is a fact of life," Kruesi said at CTA headquarters, where he released two budget proposals. The one that will be enacted depends on General Assembly action during November's fall veto session.

Kruesi's preferred "regional mobility budget" envisions spending $1.02 billion on operations next year and includes service improvements such as restoration of weekend service on the Cermak branch of the Blue Line.

The "gridlock budget" totals $911.7 million. It includes $55 million in service cuts that would result in an annual loss of 34 million rides, said Dennis Anosike, CTA vice president of finance. That would be the equivalent of half of Metra's rides, or Pace's entire yearly ridership.

Anosike said rising employee health-care and pension costs and increasing expenses for fuel, security and paratransit services were the primary causes of a $77 million deficit in the summer.

Regardless of whether a state bailout occurs, a monthly pass for paratransit disabled customers will double on Jan. 2 to $150 from $75, CTA officials announced. Paratransit costs are spiraling out of control, costing the agency an average of $26 per trip, officials said.

In 2003 the CTA provided 1.9 million paratransit rides, which offer curb-to-curb service, and paratransit costs are expected to total $45 million this year.

Single rides will increase next year to $3.50 from $1.75 for disabled people who use the CTA's Mobility Direct, Taxi Access Program or Special Services vans.

"It's going to be a strain on me financially," said Ayonna Collins, 31, who uses the paratransit service five days a week to travel from her Rogers Park home to work as an advocate at the Progress Center for Independent Living in Forest Park.

"But what really worries me are the fixed-income people who will be forced to choose between going to the doctor or to the grocery store," said Collins, who has cerebral palsy. "I wish the CTA would take that into account."

Also regardless of which budget passes, fares for the University Pass used by college students will increase 10 cents per day, to 70 cents.

On the CTA's regular services, 30 bus routes would be eliminated on weekdays and 21 on weekends, and service would be curtailed on many other routes.

The agency also would eliminate late-night and early-morning service on rapid-transit lines.

In addition, customers would walk farther to reach a bus stop or elevated-train station, and frequency of service would be reduced, officials said.

Jeremy D'Souza, a DePaul University junior studying computer science downtown, said the threatened service cuts along with the fare increase on the CTA U-Pass card were too much of a burden.

"I think the CTA is a little overstaffed, as opposed to the problem being government funding," said D'Souza, 19.

Despite Kruesi's contention that he was simply laying out the facts so lawmakers would take the situation seriously, transit activists whose communities have been hit hard by recent CTA decisions said they interpret Kruesi's willingness to cut service as alarming.

"It's very frustrating [Kruesi] has taken this approach, instead of asking the community to work with him," said Maurice Redd, executive director of the Lawndale Neighborhood Organization. "The CTA has known for years there is a funding problem. Why is it now coming to a point where the riders are being hijacked?"

CTA Chairwoman Carole Brown appeared less confident than Kruesi that lawmakers would act in the November veto session.

"We've got no indication yet what the General Assembly will do," Brown said.

- - -

CTA releases two budget scenarios for 2005

The Chicago Transit Authority on Monday released two budget proposals for 2005. One anticipates $82.5 million in new state funding to close the looming deficit, and the other eliminates or reduces service on almost 100 bus routes and ends late-night rail service.


PROPOSED BUDGETS FOR 2005
In millions
EXPENSES WITH FUNDING WITHOUR FUNDING DIFFERENCE
Labor $729.5 $646.4 $83.1
Material $65.3 $59.7 $5.6
Fuel $35.1 $27.5 $7.6
Power $24.5 $24.2 $0.4
Provision for $35.0 $19.0 $16.0
injuries/damages
Purchase of security services $34.8 $34.8 0
Purchase of paratransit $52.5 $52.5 0
Other $47.6 $47.6 0
Total $1,024.4 $911.7 $112.7
REVENUES
System-generated revenues $500.2 $470.1 $30.2
Public funding through RTA $524.1 $441.6 $82.5
Total $1,024.4 $911.7 $112.7
Note: Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.
Source: Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago Tribune.