SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois' public transit systems got a $1.5 billion annual infusion on Friday as Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law overhauling Chicago's web of buses and trains, sparing it from devastating service cuts and pledging upgraded performance and accountability.
Dozens of government, labor and transit leaders congregated for the ceremony at Chicago's century-old Union Station, legendary architect Daniel Burnham's vision for a centralized transportation hub through which 35 million commuters still move annually.
The law, which takes effect in June 2026, raises sales taxes in northeastern Illinois, slides into transit coffers a portion of the sales tax on gasoline and interest earnings on the state's road construction fund. The revenue infusion promises to claw the program back from a so-called fiscal cliff caused largely by a drop off in funding from federal pandemic relief programs that has threatened metropolitan commuter lines outside of Chicago as well.
“Our state is tough and resilient and forward-looking. Far from heading toward the abyss, as some predicted, we are on the verge of delivering a world class transportation network,” Pritzker, a Democrat, said. “This new law not only averts the ‘cliff,’ but preserves affordability and makes transit safer and more reliable."
The law, which was known as SB2111, creates the Northern Illinois Transit Authority as administrator of the region's transit programs with responsibility for ensuring funding and comprehensive planning while the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra commuter rail and Pace suburban bus system focus on performance and reliability.
It promises safety improvements for a system often marred by crime and which received a particular black mark — not to mention ire from President Donald Trump — after a man on a downtown L train allegedly doused a 26-year-old woman with gasoline and set her afire in November.
Illinois, one of eight states that charge sales tax on gasoline, will generate $860 million in new transit funding by diverting gas sales tax from the road-construction fund; and $200 million from interest generated by the road fund, but that amount is expected to fall as principal is rolled out for road building. Nearly $150 million of that revenue is targeted for parts of the state outside Cook County, home to Chicago, and the five counties surrounding it.
Another $478 million is expected from a one-quarter percent increase in the sales tax in Cook and suburban counties.
That part particularly riled Republicans who claim that suburban residents are paying to fix Chicago's problems. State Senate Minority Leader John Curran, a Republican from suburban Downers Grove, said it also freezes out "suburban representation on transit decisions.”
"Taxpayers deserve a long-term, fiscally-conservative plan that includes the reforms needed to ensure a world-class, safe and reliable system — not a Chicago takeover of suburban public transit,” Curran said.
But advocates contended that the Northern Illinois Transit Authority will have wide representation.
The authority will also govern funding allocation based on performance; oversee capital and long-term planning to allow CTA, Metra and Pace to concentrate on operation; provide for a powerful executive director to hold employees accountable; and require regular internal as well as periodic external audits.
Initiatives to improve safety will include cross-jurisdictional law enforcement cooperation led by the Cook County sheriff; in 2027, a “transit ambassador" plan will put unarmed staff on trains to assist riders with safety issues while law enforcement and social services will develop a long-term strategy for assistance; and there will be a mobile application allowing riders to report problems.
By 2030, a single, integrated system will collect and process all fares systemwide.
FILE - A train pulls into the Clark Street and Lake Street Blue Line stop, Nov. 18, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley, File)
ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — Nathan Lyon took two wickets in his first over to move past Glenn McGrath for second place on Australia’s all-time bowling list as England teetered on 132-5 at tea on Day 2 of the third Ashes cricket test.
Australia resumed Thursday at 326-8 and was all out for 371 as Jofra Archer dismissed Mitchell Starc for a well-made 54 and No. 11 Lyon to complete a five-wicket haul.
England was coasting at 37 without loss in reply until returning Australia skipper Pat Cummins took his first wicket of the series to dismiss Zak Crawley (9), triggering a slide of three wickets in 15 deliveries.
Offspinner Lyon was introduced for the 10th over and had immediate success with two wickets in four balls to remove Ollie Pope (3) and Ben Duckett (29) as England slumped to 42-3.
He got Pope to play forward to a ball that turned, pushing a catch to a diving Josh Inglis at midwicket, to equal retired paceman McGrath's career haul of 563 test wickets.
Lyon struck again on the last ball of that over, enticing Duckett to play the wrong line to a drifting delivery that took out the England's openers off stump. TV coverage showed McGrath in a stadium commentary booth pretending to throw a chair around in mock annoyance.
Only the great Shane Warne — with 708 wickets in 145 tests from 1992-2007 — is above Lyon on the Australia's list of test wicket-takers. It was a huge return for Lyon, who was omitted from the lineup that won the second test in Brisbane for a 2-0 series lead.
England needs victory in Adelaide to have any chance of reclaiming the Ashes, and will need a big innings from skipper Ben Stokes to achieve it.
He was unbeaten on 19 at the end of the middle session, recovering after being hit on the side of the helmet as he tried to turn his head away from a short-pitch ball from Mitchell Starc that was traveling at 145 kph (90 mph).
Cummins dismissed Joe Root (19), bringing Stokes to the crease with the total at 71-4 after the lunch interval. Cameron Green struck on his third delivery, getting the edge of Harry Brook’s bat with a ball that moved away from the right-hander, ending a 56-run stand for the fifth wicket just before the tea interval.
Brook scored 45 from 63 before he was out in the 37th over, adding just one run after getting a reprieve when he was given out caught behind off Lyon's bowling but successfully reviewed the decision with the TV umpire.
Archer picked up the first wicket of the third test, two more in the first over after lunch later Wednesday and the last two on Day 2.
Starc, who was unbeaten on 33 overnight, quickly raced to his half-century, plundering four boundaries in the first 10 deliveries of the morning: two slashing cuts in the first over from Archer and two more to wayward deliveries from Brydon Carse.
Starc reached 50 with a single, hit the first ball of Archer's next over to the boundary but then the England paceman bowled him with a delivery that angled in from around the stumps.
The last-wicket pair added 23 runs before Archer trapped Lyon (9) lbw, leaving Boland unbeaten on 14 from 21 deliveries.
Archer returned 5-53 from 20.2 overs for his fourth five-wicket haul in test cricket, and third in the Ashes.
England needed to bat all day to revive its chances in this five-test series. The hot conditions should have been a help to England's cause, particularly with the Australians in the field and the temperature hitting 40C (104F).
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Australia's Nathan Lyon, left, celebrates with teammate Mitchell Starc after dismissing England's Ben Duckett during play on day two of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
Australia's Nathan Lyon, left, celebrates with teammate Mitchell Starc after dismissing England's Ben Duckett during play on day two of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
Australia's Mitchell Starc bats during play on day two of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
England's Jofra Archer, centre, is congratulated by teammates after taking five wickets during play on day two of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
England's Jofra Archer bowls a delivery during play on day one of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
England's Jofra Archer reacts after taking five wickets during play on day two of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
