CHICAGO — Metra’s board of directors on Wednesday approved a $1.135 billion operating budget that maintains current fares, as well as a $366.4 million capital spending plan to continue improvements to bridges, stations, and rolling stock.
The budget, about 4.1% higher than that for 2024, includes projections that ridership will increase by about 7%. It relies on $304.1 million in system-generated revenue including fares; $592.5 million from regional sales tax; and $238.4 million from Metra’s remaining fedral COVID-relief funds. A small amount of the COVID funding will be carried over to 2026; the end of that funding creates what Executive Director/CEO Jim Derwinski called a “fiscal cliff” in a statement when the draft version of the budget was released [see “Metra unveils proposed 2025 budget …,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 11., 2024].
The capital plan includes some $43.7 million for Metra’s ongoing car rehabilitation programs, as well as $29 million for the battery-electric trainsets the agency has ordered from Stadler US [see “Metra signs deal with Stadler US …,” News Wire, Feb. 21, 2024]. It also includes seven bridge projects with prices ranging from $1 million to $7.2 million, part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to address aging structures inherited across its system.
The full budget is available here.
