Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act (SB2111) Overview

The Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act (SB2111) passed the Illinois General Assembly in the early hours of October 31, 2025, and Governor Pritzker made clear he will sign it into law. This is a major milestone in Illinois – not just Chicago – transit history as the legislation (effective June 1, 2026) will create a new regional transit agency, the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA), to replace the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and significantly reform the governance of CTA, Pace, and Metra.  The Act also defines new funding sources that will not only sustain transit through its current funding gap but also provide additional resources to support more frequent and reliable transit service throughout Northeastern Illinois and the entire state.  This resource is a summary of the legislation.