On Tuesday, Illinois state lawmakers will return to Springfield for a veto session and will consider legislation to address funding for the Chicago region’s mass transit system. In the debate over the bill, one provision has sparked outsize concern: language that would allow the proposed Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA), which would replace the Regional Transportation Authority, to facilitate development near train stations and bus stops. Some suburban leaders have claimed this would let a regional board override local zoning and take control of downtown development.
That is a misunderstanding of what the bill says — and a distraction from the real opportunity before us.
The truth is simple: The proposed reforms do not take away local zoning authority. With the exception of parking flexibility, municipalities retain the same powers they always have to make land use decisions. The bill explicitly requires NITA to comply with local regulations.
What changes is that transit agencies gain the ability to be stronger partners. NITA could assemble land, provide funding and support projects that align with municipal goals — but it cannot unilaterally impose development. If a town’s zoning does not permit a certain use or density, that restriction still applies. Language granting NITA the power of “eminent domain” is also the same as that already granted to the RTA. This bill merely shifts that authority to NITA — it does not expand or change it in any other way.
This is not about taking control away from communities. It is about giving them more tools to shape growth around transit in ways that make sense locally.
Transit-oriented development, when done intentionally and equitably, is good for communities. Walkable, mixed-use communities near stations support local businesses, strengthen the tax base and give residents more housing choices. They also boost ridership, which makes the transit system more financially stable.
Other U.S. regions are ahead of us. From Houston to Silicon Valley to Pittsburgh, transit agencies play a direct role in supporting development near stations. They recognize that public investment in rail and bus service is most impactful when paired with private investment in the neighborhoods those systems serve.
Chicago has made important strides, including zoning reforms and investments in brick-and-mortar projects to advance equitable transit-oriented development. Some suburban cities, such as Joliet, have also taken important steps. But we have not yet institutionalized this work regionally. Granting NITA, whose members would be locally appointed, explicit authority brings more resources and capacity to the table for them to partner with communities that want to use them, helping ensure that development keeps pace with our transit investments. For cities that prefer a different approach, their zoning continues to govern.
This legislation is first and foremost about sustainably funding transit to prevent devastating 40% service cuts that would ripple through the region’s economy, limit residents’ ability to access jobs and raise the cost of living as households spend more on the costs of driving. But it is also about making sure our system is stronger and more resilient for the long term.
Illinois has an opportunity not just to save transit service but to modernize how it is governed and how it contributes to community growth. That requires looking past misconceptions about what this bill does — and focusing on the facts.
We need to invest in our state’s transit systems, secure the future of transit and give our region the tools to build more connected, affordable and vibrant communities.
Juan Sebastian Arias is executive director of Elevated Chicago.
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