The financial challenges facing the northeastern Illinois public transit agencies and the the RTA's Moving Beyond Congestion initiative have stimulated several public transit advocacy groups. Here's a listing in no particular order of the advocacy groups of which I am aware. Who's missing from this list? How do you rate the effectiveness of each of these groups?
Save Chicagoland Transit
Associated with the Midwest High Speed Rail Association. Good source for links to current news. Nice webpage.
Transit Future Coalition
Associated with the Center for Neighborhood Technology. Actively lobbying in Springfield.
Chicago Metropolis 2020
As mainstream as it gets. Very solid recent report on transit funding options.
Illinois PIRG
Any activity on transit funding issues?
Citizens Taking Action
Any activity?
Business Leaders for Transportation
Joint creation of Metropolitan Planning Council, Chicago Metropolis 2020 and Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.
The Campaign for Better Transit
Died earlier this year but still valuable website.
Transportation for Illinois Coalition
Joint venture between Illinois Chamber of Commerce and AFL-CIO.
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3 comments:
Which one of these groups is a truely grassroots as in---regular transit riding joes?
Some of them are just guys with websites, not real groups.
Looking at these sites, I don't see much in the way of strong political action. The tone is all begging and handwringing. What we need is a MoveOn for transit -- an organized in-your-face movement that targets legislators and the governor for support or attack in primary and general elections, depending on what they do for transit.
If we can't do it now in this age of global climate change, oil wars, gridlock, and poison air, when can we? We can start by putting the job security of Blago, Madigan, and Jones in jeopardy if the don't quit screwing around.
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