Recognizing Metra Commuter Railroad's 40th Anniversary

Floor Speech

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Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Metra, the commuter railroad serving my constituents in Chicago, on its 40th anniversary.

Forty years ago, commuter rail operations largely relied on private railroads. However, due to inflation and the emergence of alternative transportation options, funding decreased significantly, and riders threatened to discontinue their use of commuter services. To address this issue, voters approved the creation of the Regional Transportation Authority, which established the Northeast Illinois Railroad Corporation to directly operate the trains. When the Rock Island and Milwaukee Road railroads went bankrupt, a new rail division was created to provide subsidies that kept the trains running and passengers on board.

As Metra faced a fragmented system of commuter rail operations, it acquired the Metra Electric and Illinois Central Gulf in 1987, ultimately taking over the operations of the Heritage Corridor, SouthWest Service, and North Central Service--marking the first new commuter line in Chicago in 70 years.

Today, Metra continues to subsidize operations on four lines owned and operated by freight railroads. After 40 years, Metra has become the fourth-busiest commuter rail system in our country, consistently providing reliable and essential transportation services to my constituents.

Earlier this year, I was pleased to assist Metra in securing federal funding for the Morgan Street Bridge Replacement project. This funding will replace the current timber rail bridge, built in 1974 as a temporary solution, with a new steel bridge. This upgrade will reduce maintenance needs and enhance safety and reliability for nearly 7.34 million annual riders.

I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating Metra on its 40th anniversary. I look forward to continuing our partnership to ensure Metra's success for many years to come.

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