(The following story by Jamie Sotonoff appeared on the Chicago Daily Herald website on November 20, 2009.)
CHICAGO — Seventy percent of Metra bridges and 42 percent of CTA bridges are past their “useful life,” according to a preliminary report presented to the RTA board Thursday.
A final report is expected in January, along with a plan on how to address the problem, RTA spokeswoman Diane Palmer said.
The asset condition assessment, which is part of the RTA’s Regional Transit Strategic Plan, also found upgrades needed in other equipment and infrastructure.
According to the report, 36 percent of Pace buses, 32 percent of Metra stations, 24 percent of CTA rail tracks and 4 percent of Metra rail cars also fall into the “past its useful life” category.