As a follow-up to Lee Bey’s Nov. 5 column on the CTA’s proposed Red Line extension: As someone at the table during discussions regarding a similarly funded program, the CTA’s Red Purple Modernization (RPM) project, I wanted to share some additional context and background.
The RPM Transit TIF (unique and the only of its kind in the city) was created due to lack of funding from the state of Illinois. To receive the more than $1 billion in federal funding to support the first phase of RPM, CTA and the city were required to provide a local funding match.
