Northern Illinois Transit Authority establishment

The Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) has officially commenced operations, assuming regional oversight of public transit for Chicago and its surrounding six-county area. The agency replaces the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) to manage the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra, and Pace. NITA was established to address budget gaps caused by the expiration of federal COVID-19 support and changing commuting patterns, with legislative funding provided through motor fuel sales tax and a regional sales tax increase.

Following its inaugural meeting, the NITA board elected Tom Kotarac as chair and named Jamie Rhee as interim executive director. The agency is tasked with implementing unified fares to allow seamless transfers between systems, coordinating schedules, and simplifying ticketing. Future mandates include deploying transit ambassadors by next July and determining whether to establish a new police department to patrol the three transit systems. The transition is described as a “complete reset” for the region’s transit infrastructure, supported by up to $1.5 billion in additional annual funding.