Quigley, Durbin Commend Inclusion of $350 Million for Red Line Extension in Biden Budget

Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee's Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Subcommittee, and Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, commended President Joe Biden's fiscal year 2024 discretionary funding request for including a request for $350 million for the 5.6 mile extension of the Chicago Transit Authority's Red Line. This is the first rail transit extension in Chicago in 30 years.

"Public transit plays an integral role in the lives of millions of Chicagoans. For many, it is the best and only option to get to work, go to school, and visit family. I am glad that the Biden administration sees the importance this project has in forming equitable transit solutions," said Quigley. "This extension will ensure access for tens of thousands of low income residents on the South Side of Chicago, while providing a massive economic boost for our city. The $350 million in funding provided in President Biden's budget is a positive step in federal support for the Red Line Extension project. I will be working hard in the coming weeks to ensure this funding is included in the FY24 package ultimately passed by Congress, is signed into law, and is delivered to the people of Chicago."

"Tens of thousands of Chicago residents, many of whom are low income, rely on the red line as their sole transportation option," said Durbin. "This transformative project will provide long-awaited relief for the South Side community. Improving our infrastructure means better-connecting Chicagoans to jobs, education, commerce, and opportunity. I commend President Biden for this federal effort that will serve as a catalyst for economic development in Chicago and will work with Congressman Quigley and the rest of the delegation to see it through and signed into law."

In February, Quigley, Durbin, and other members of the IL delegation sent a letter to the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Office of Management and Budget requesting that they consider federal funding for the project. Specifically, the letter requested that DOT consider a 60% federal cost share for the Red Line Extension project. The Administration is expected to announce cost share ratios for transit projects later this spring.

The red line extension project will serve roughly 100,000 people, most of whom are from low-income households on Chicago's South Side, and will benefit tens of thousands of working families and individuals in surrounding suburbs and neighborhoods.