Lack Of Emergency Response Drills Observed In Safety Audit Of Chicago Trains

June 30, 2008 10:26 a.m. EST

Chicago, IL (AHN) - An off-site safety review by the Regional Transportation Authority of the Chicago Transit Authority's rail system showed that the lives of Chicago residents are still not at risk if they ride the city's trains.

But the RTA recommended upgrades in 14 main areas, which it says, must not be postponed. When the safety audit was undertaken the CTA had a record of 13 train derailment incidents and five crashes between the January to middle of August 2007.

Among the major findings of the safety audit were that CTA did not conduct sufficient emergency-response drills and its construction safety measures for the Brown Line rehabilitation project was not satisfactory.

CTA president Ron Huberman said the company is taking corrective action in response to the RTA's findings.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives passed a bill approving the allocation of $1.7 billion for transit agencies across the U.S. But Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich proposed budget cuts that would reduce funding for the $28 million Amtrak Illinois program and half-fare programs for the disabled and students.

The governor's action would reduce Macomb, Quincy, Champaign, Carbondale, Springfield and St. Louis routes at a time when ridership rose between 18 to 21 percent on the affected legs because of the spike in gas prices and road construction.