Varied transit systems ease congestion and provide a diversity of options for Illinois families and workers. The need to invest in transit will only grow as demand rises. The current capital needs for transit systems in Northeastern Illinois are over $2 billion annually, and transit ridership in the region is 5% higher than in 2010. The dramatic growth in intra-suburban commuting is a major transit challenge; however, the cost of gasoline, growing environmental concerns, and worsening roadway congestion make efficient and upgraded transit systems valuable. Much of the infrastructure for a world-class transit system, particularly in Northeastern Illinois, is in place, but it has suffered as a result of age and lack of funding. The Chicago region under-spends on transit operations and capital compared to both national and international cities. The estimated need to bring the Chicago region’s transit to a state of good repair over the next ten years has risen to $30.9 billion in 2012 from $26.1 billion in 2010.
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Aviation
Bridges
Dams
Drinking Water
Inland Waterways
Rail
Roads
Transit
WastewaterA: Exceptional, B: Good, C: Mediocre, D: Poor, F: Failing, ?: Incomplete
Each category was evaluated on the basis of capacity, condition, funding, future need, operation and maintenance, public safety, resilience, and innovation
Aviation
86 public-use airports
Bridges
2,275 of the 26,621 bridges are structurally deficient
Bridges
$115.80 million in bridge funds came from the Federal Highway Bridge Fund in 2011
Dams
87% of the state regulated dams have an Emergency Action Plan
Dams
212 high hazard dams
Drinking Water
$19 billion in drinking water infrastructure needs over the next 20 years
Energy
5.257 gigawatt-hours of renewable energy every year, ranking it 29th
Hazardous Waste
45 sites on the National Priorities List
Inland Waterways
1,100 miles of inland waterways, ranking it 8th nationally
Levees
2,050 miles of levees
Ports
106.4 million short tons of cargo in 2012, ranking it 6th nationally
Public Parks
$647.3 million of unmet needs for its parks system
Rail
41 freight railroads covering 7,028 miles across the state, ranking 2nd nationally by mileage
Roads
$3.7 billion a year in costs to motorists from driving on roads in need of repair, which is $449 /yr per motorist
Roads
16,966 of the state’s 144,337 public roads are major roads, and 15% are in poor condition
Schools
$8.2 billion in estimated school infrastructure funding needs
Transit
648 million annual unlinked passenger trips via transit systems including bus, transit, and commuter trains
Wastewater
$17.5 billion in wastewater infrastructure needs over the next 20 years
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