(The following article by David Roeder was posted on the Chicago Sun-Times website on December 20.)
CHICAGO — An organization of business leaders today will call for new investments in the region’s highways and railroads to alleviate bottlenecks that can bring freight movement to a halt.
The problem is pressing because freight tonnage that passes through the area is expected to nearly double by 2030, said a report to be issued by Chicago Metropolis 2020.
The movement of goods and people was a foundation of Chicago’s growth. But the organization warned that jobs will be threatened if gridlock worsens, and shippers find ways to bypass the region.
The group called for full funding of a 10-year, $1.5 billion program to expand rail capacity by replacing antiquated track and signals, adding routes, and designating new freight centers in the suburbs to speed the transfer of goods from rail cars to trucks.
The federal government would need to provide about 50 percent of the funds, with private interests and state and local governments picking up the rest, said Jim LaBelle, deputy director of Chicago Metropolis 2020.
The group endorsed creation of a planning agency called the Regional Policy Board that would coordinate local land-use plans. The board would have at least 21 members appointed by the governor, mayor of Chicago and suburban officials.
The proposal is a revised version of an earlier suggestion for a “superagency” that could veto local zoning decisions. The idea was criticized for taking power from elected officials.
George Ranney Jr., president of Chicago Metropolis 2020, said the latest version is friendlier to political power bases. The board would not have enforcement powers, but its makeup is designed to ensure broad support for its policies.
It’s also being touted as an efficiency move because it would combine the functions and staffs of the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission and the Chicago Area Transportation Study.
While not directly recommending tax increases, the report urges the tollways to adopt a variable pricing system that would lead to lower fees for driving during nonpeak travel times. The change would encourage truckers to stay off the roads when they are most congested, the report said.
In addition, the group noted that state motor fuel taxes haven’t kept pace with inflation and have lagged the increased use of highways by 20 percent since 1994.
Consisting of prominent business and civic leaders, Chicago Metropolis 2020 was launched in 1999 to promote better long-term planning and economic growth.