Transportation funding isn’t flowing in Illinois. And it’s forcing transit districts to cut back and, in some cases, even eliminate services in metro areas.

River Valley METRO – the mass transit district serving the greater Kankakee area –is included. The agency has announced a temporary service reduction and staff assignments, effective November 1.

Illinois Senator Jason Barickman is hopeful the funding crisis will be resolved soon. He says “this is the result of the no-budget situation in Springfield,” and why –he hopes—people are paying attention ..........

Barickman said this is what happens when there isn’t a budget in place.

The Senator said so many government agencies have been strapped, because the state has no money. This, Barickman explained, “is the reality of not having a balanced budget. There’s supposed to be designated monies available but it’s not there.”

Barickman and other lawmakers are well aware of the transportation dilemma.

Downstate districts, including Kankakee, Champaign-Urbana, Bloomington-Normal, Springfield, Danville and the Quad Cities are all forced to make emergency plans or even close down.

River Valley METRO Manager Rob Hoffman said his Board of Directors has explored options and made a decision (Wednesday) to scale-back its services......

The effort is to stretch funding resources to try to make it work thru Decemver 31.

94.1 WGFA