The Northern Illinois Transit Authority wants your input on its expanded 2027 budget that aims to improve service and safety on CTA, Metra and Pace.NITA's proposed operating budget is 15% larger than the current year — $5.02 billion compared to $4.3 billion — thanks to additional tax revenue fr om the NITA Act.This is NITA's first time proposing its own budget for the transit agencies it now oversees. Under the Regional Transportation Authority, which NITA replaced in September, the transit agencies proposed their own budgets. Now, NITA is taking the lead in budgeting to better coordinate bus and rail service.Here's some of what the 2027 budget funds:No fare increases"Transit ambassadors" — trained customer service representatives hitting the system next summerA CTA pilot early next year for high-barrier gates to combat fare evasionContinued funding for more police, private security and social servicesSix CTA bus routes adding all-night service: No. 12 Roosevelt, No. 35 31st/35th, No. 47 47th, No. 72 North, No. 85 Central and No. 155 DevonSome Pace Bus routes getting Sunday service: routes 501, 507, and 508 in Joliet, routes 524, 530, and 533 in Aurora, and Route 213 on Green Bay RoadMetra adding more frequent trains to the Rock Island LineOver 200 electric or hybrid buses for CTA and PaceMeanwhile, NITA added around $900 million in new funding to its five-year capital plan of $9.7 billion.Among the plan's biggest projects for 2027:Fixing slow zones on the Blue Line's Forest Park branch from Kedzie to PulaskiA Pace electric bus garage in WaukeganA rehab of the CTA's 43rd Street Green Line stationNew elevators at the Western Avenue Brown Line stationNearly 100 new 7000-series L rail carsFor Metra, a new Rock Island Line station at 79th Street and Lowe AvenueLooking long-term, NITA's five-year capital budget puts its largest investments in the Red Line Extension ($3.29 billion), new CTA rail cars (almost $500 million), new CTA buses ($404 million) and Metra's battery-powered trains ($483 million).NITA is expecting $1.3 billion in additional revenue next year from expanding the Chicago-region sales tax and redirecting some of the state sales tax on gasoline.The draft budget is available online at nita.illinois.gov/ and open for public comment through Dec. 4. NITA will hold several public hearings, including at their Nov. 14 board hearing in the Loop. The NITA board plans to vote on a final budget Dec. 10. Related What is NITA, Chicago’s new transit agency? New transit law takes effect as CTA, Metra, Pace enter new era ...read more read less