by John O’Connor
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Chicago Transit Authority on Friday filed a federal lawsuit seeking restoration of $2 billion in commuter rail expansion funding that President Donald Trump’s administration stopped last fall.
The action, filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, contends the administration acted arbitrarily in halting transit construction money for the city in an effort to restrict race- and gender-based contracting, which it believes is unconstitutional. It names the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Transportation Authority as defendants.
The Transportation Department responded that it is trying to choke off a “discriminatory” and “illegal” contracting process.
The lawsuit comes days after New York City authorities filed a lawsuit seeking resumption of similar federal transit funding to the tune of $60 million.
Critically affected in Chicago is a 5.3-mile (8.5 kilometer) extension of the Red Line of the elevated L rail system with four train stops to reach 100,000 additional residents in disadvantaged and largely Black neighborhoods. Additionally, the federal dollars had been financing continued work on a North Side project that replaced century-old rails and built four new, accessible stations.
“We are fully committed to the success of these projects, and we will take every step necessary to ensure that they move forward,” CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen said in a statement. “The Red Line extension is a historic investment into the far South Side of Chicago that will transform public transit and create new economic opportunity for the communities it will serve.”
