April 24, 2012 
ILMPO
 
Illinois MPO Advisory Council
State Legislative Update 







ILMPO Website
IDOT
IDOT Website
Procurement of Passenger Rail Equipment

The Senate Transportation Committee held a subject matter hearing on the procurement of passenger rail equipment last week. Secretary Ann Schneider, Rick Harnish of the Illinois High Speed Rail Association and Amtrak were in attendance.  Mr. Harnish stated with the current trends over the past decade, they anticipate the demand for passenger rail service to double by 2018. 

Illinois is part of a joint effort with California to purchase 100+ new rail cars with 88 cars designated for Illinois.  Funding for the rail cars will be 100% from federal funds.  Since Illinois will only be utilizing federal funds for the procurement of the cars, the State of California will take the lead in the procurement.

It is anticipated that the cars will be delivered no later than 2017, but as early as 2015.  Illinois will become the owner of these rail cars.  IDOT will have the ability to seek a contract out for the service and maintenance of the routes, if Amtrak is not able to do so in a timely manner. 

The procurement involves three different types of cars:  a traditional passenger coach, a cafe car and a cab car.  IDOT also indicated that these would be bi-level passenger coach cars since they can exceed capacity by 90 passengers instead of 70 passengers on single level cars.  It also allows IDOT to increase the capacity of the trains which is more fuel efficient than purchasing single level cars.  All trains will be equipped with WiFi.  IDOT believes in providing an enhanced rider experience so ridership can continue to go up and subsidy for the Amtrak service will go down.  With the current train sets being built, they are providing the foot print to ease the subsidy overtime.

Senate Transportation Martin Sandoval repeatedly asked about the ownership and operation of the passenger rail cars.  Secretary Schneider again reiterated that under the current system, it is all owned by Amtrak and it is anticipated that Amtrak would operate the trains.  However, IDOT will have the ability to look for a private vendor if they choose to do so in the future.

For high speed rail, IDOT anticipates a demonstration project up and running by the fall of 2012.  Amtrak has also received federal funds to refurbish 10 cars and they will provide it for the Chicago to St. Louis line. 


 

APPROPRIATION HEARINGS  

 

House and Senate Appropriation Committees have met over the past several weeks. The line of questioning ranged from the date of their last audit findings and steps taken by the agency to questions regarding how many employees were either not meeting or meeting performance evaluations.   Other questions ranged from staffing levels and any and all cost saving measures taken by the agency.   

 

The House Appropriation For Public Safety Committee met last week for a subject matter hearing for FY2013 budget requests, for the Illinois Department of Transportation.  Secretary Ann Schneider provided testimony during the hearing.  The agency did not receive the normal drilling of questions as exhibited with other state agencies the past few weeks.        

 

The Chairman of the House Appropriation for Public Safety Committee indicated that they are looking at $138M cut to the agencies falling under their Committee.  This is an additional cut of $54M. It was originally indicated in HR607 that the cut would be $84M. He also stated all funds were on the table, including the Road Fund.

Secretary Schneider stated, IDOT is specifically looking at entities that provide alternative transportation and that help take vehicles off the road.  They want to remain flexible in funding these entities.

The Chairman asked for a report of the pass through monies through IDOT. Other topics discussed at the Committee included: the DBE program, minority hiring, and the 45/55 split. 

 

COMMITTEE REPORT 
Below is a committee report for the week of April 16-19 of bills which were monitored. 

  

  

Passed Out Of Committee 

  • HB4022 - Vehicle Code - Trauma Programs Rail sponsored by Senator Toi Hutchinson. 
  • HB4440 -  Department of Public Health - RTA Reduced Fares monthly reporting sponsored by Senator Kirk Dillard.
  • HB4444- Aeronautics Funds: Registration sponsored by Rep. Frank Mautino
  • HB5319 - Sanitary District - Wastewater sponsored by Senator David Koehler.
  • HB3934 - Creates the Economic Incentive Committee sponsored by Senator Susan Garrett.    

Held in Committee

  • HB3875 - RTA Working Cash Notes sponsored by Senator Anthony Munoz.   
  • HB5099 - Vehicle Code - Cell Phone Usage Near Accident Sites sponsored by Senator William Haine. 
  • HB5616 - Will - Kankakee Development Authority sponsored by Senator William Haine.  
 

COMMITTEE SCHEDULE

 

A few bills are scheduled for a Committee hearing this week.  Below is a schedule of Committee hearings along with the bills I will be monitoring.  The House and Senate Appropriation Committees have additional subject matter hearings regarding FY2013 budgets.  Audio/Video is available by clicking here. Audio/video is available is for Room 114 in the House and Rooms 212, 400 and 409 in the Senate. 

 

House Appropriation for Public Safety Committee Hearing 

Tuesday, April 24 at 2:00 p.m. in Room 114, Capitol Building 

Subject matter hearing regarding: Regional Transportation Authority, Chicago Transit Authority, Metra, Pace, Chicago Department of Transportation, and AMTRAK   

  

House Transportation: Regulation, Roads & Bridges Committee Hearing 

Tuesday, April 24 at 2:00 pm. in Room 200, Capitol Building  

  • SB3318, Public Private Partnership regarding Illiana-IDOT Powers -           Chief House Sponsor, Anthony DeLuca:  Chief Senate Sponsor, Toi Hutchinson
  • SB3384, Busses on Shoulder for Randall Road Corridor in Kane County -   Chief House Sponsor, Bob Rita:  Chief Senate Sponsor, Michael Noland 

House Tollway Oversight Committee Hearing 

Tuesday, April 24 at 4:00 p.m. in Room 115, Capitol Building 

  • SB2530, Tollway Authority-Toll Increases sponsored by Rep. Michael Connelly   

Senate Transportation Committee Hearing 

Tuesday, April 24 at 5:00 p.m. in Room 400, Capitol Building 

  • HB3875 - RTA Working Cash Notes sponsored by Senator Anthony Munoz.     

Senate Appropriations II Committee Hearing  

Wednesday, April 25 at 8:00 a.m. in Room 212, Capitol Building

Subject Matter hearing for FY2013 Budget Request for the Illinois Tollway Authority, Comptroller, Capitol Development Board and Illinois Department of Transportation.  

 

Transportation: Vehicles & Safety Committee Hearing  

Wednesday, April 25 at 10:30 a.m. in Room C-1, Stratton Building

  • SB3336, Vehicle Code - In-Line Skates on roads with a speed limit of 45 m.p.h. or less sponsored by Rep. Chris Nybo.      

Senate Criminal Law Committee Hearing

Wednesday, April 25 at Noon in Room 212, Capitol Building

  • HB5099 - Vehicle Code - Cell Phone Usage Near Accident Sites sponsored by Senator William Haine.

Senate Revenue Committee Hearing  

Wednesday, April 25 at 3:00 p.m. in Room 400, Capitol Building

  • HB5616 - Will - Kankakee Development Authority sponsored by Senator William Haine.   

Senate Energy Committee Hearing  

Thursday, April 26 at 8:30 a.m. in Room 212, Capitol Building

  • HB5814, Wind Farms - Renewable Energy sponsored by Senator Pamela Althoff    

 

Marta Elena Perales
MPO Statewide Coordinator 
Illinois MPO Advisory Council