Chicago Transit Authority President Rich Rodriguez is finishing up his week in Washington, D.C.
Rodriguez has been trumpeting the CTA’s need for more capital improvement dollars. The agency's 2010 budget has $6.8 billion in projects that need funding. A massive portion of the agency’s capital money comes from federal sources.
CTA spokeswoman Katelyn Thrall says Rodriguez will be “meeting with some Illinois lawmakers and/or staff while he is there in order to keep CTA needs on their radar.”
Congress is planning on reauthorizing a public transportation funding bill in 2010. The CTA is pushing for more money for aging transportation systems instead of the new construction projects federal officials often favor.
Earlier this week, Rodriguez seemed to indicate the agency was seeking a dedicated capital source to pay for the planned Red/Purple Line rehabilitation.
Rodriguez will also be attending a meeting of the American Public Transit Association.