Metra Board Approves Release of 2011 Budget

The Metra Board of Directors today approved the release of the agency’s proposed 2011 Program and Budget book for public hearing and comment.

 

Metra’s proposed 2011 budget includes $634.2 million for operations and a $407.5 million capital program. No fare increase is planned in 2011.

 

Lower than projected ridership and sales tax receipts coupled with higher insurance and maintenance costs will force Metra to transfer $35 million from its 2010 capital program and $25 million from its 2011 capital program to operations for use on preventive maintenance in 2011. The agency also proposes to continue to delay filling vacancies and to combine job functions to reduce costs in 2011.

 

The proposed 2011-2015 capital program includes the allocation of $585 million in State of Illinois bond program proceeds to replace 160 Highliner cars on the Metra Electric District. State bond proceeds and other capital funding will be allocated in the amount of $175.8 million to complete a number of station and parking improvements across the Metra system.

 

Public hearings on Metra’s 2011 budget will be held on Nov. 3 and Nov. 4 at locations throughout the six-county region. A list of the dates, times and locations of these hearings accompanies this news release. Copies of the budget will be available for review online at www.metrarail.com and will be distributed to municipalities and libraries across the region.

 

Following the public comment period, the Metra Board will vote on a final budget at its Nov. 19 meeting. The budget will then be forwarded to the Regional Transportation Authority, which will vote on the region’s transportation budget in December.

 

 

Wednesday, November 3, 2010 4–7 PM

 

Geneva City Hall

City Council Chambers

22 S. First Street

Geneva, Illinois

 

Woodstock City Hall

City Council Chambers

121 W. Calhoun St.

Woodstock, Illinois

 

Arlington Heights Village Hall

Hanson Room, 3rd Floor

33 South Arlington Heights Road

Arlington Heights, Illinois

 

Homewood Village Hall

Village Board Room

2020 Chestnut Road

Homewood, Illinois

 

 

Thursday, November 4, 2010 4–7 PM

 

Metra

547 W. Jackson Blvd.

13th Floor Board Room

Chicago, Illinois

 

Clarendon Hills Village Hall

Village Board Room

1 N. Prospect Avenue

Clarendon Hills, Illinois

 

Grayslake Village Hall

Village Board Room

10 South Seymour

Grayslake, Illinois

 

Joliet City Hall

Conference Room #1

150 West Jefferson Street

Joliet, Illinois