CTA must submit safety plan this week to feds
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An Action K-9 Security guard stands with his dog at the Clark and Lake CTA Blue Line station in November. Photo: Joshua Lott/The Washington Post via Getty Images
The Federal Transit Administration is demanding that the CTA submit a safety plan Monday after a horrific assault on a Blue Line train.
Why it matters: Safety has been a major concern for the CTA, especially as post-pandemic rider habits shift — and it's back in the national spotlight after a man with more than 70 prior arrests set a woman on fire on the Blue Line.
- The woman's family posted on a GoFundMe page that she is still hospitalized and recovering.
Driving the news: FTA administrator Marc Molinaro sent letters to Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker last week instructing the CTA to develop a verifiable security enhancement plan and submit it to the FTA for approval by Monday, with a Friday deadline for implementation.
What they're saying: "The CTA is in receipt of a Special Directive from the Federal Transit Administration. We have reviewed the document and will respond within the requested timeline," a spokesperson tells Axios.
By the numbers: Homicides and shootings on the CTA went up in 2025 compared to last year, according to Chicago police data, while Mayor Johnson has touted that violent crime across Chicago is the lowest it's been in years, despite President Trump calling on federal intervention.
State of play: CTA uses Chicago police officers and unarmed security and has more than 30,000 security cameras.
- It's seeking partner organizations for its Safe Ride Specialists program, which would include trained people who can direct unhoused riders to services and aid passengers experiencing a mental health crisis.
Flashback: This isn't the first time the Trump administration has clashed with Chicago over transit funding.
- During his first term, Trump officials repeatedly questioned CTA expansion plans.
- Now, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is putting the long-awaited Red Line extension in jeopardy, pausing funding "to ensure no additional federal dollars go towards discriminatory, illegal, and wasteful contracting practices."
- Yes, and: Former President Biden had promised $1.9 billion to the project before leaving office this year.
Context: CTA has been in a precarious place for the past year as the agency and other Chicago-area transit agencies warned riders of an impending fiscal cliff that would drastically cut service and jobs.
- The Illinois General Assembly passed a transit bill at the end of the fall veto session allocating $1.5 billion to regional transit.
What's next: Safety was a major sticking point in getting the bill across the finish line, with lawmakers demanding more safety measures before providing funding. The final bill includes:
- a Law Enforcement Task Force dedicated solely to transit safety
- more CPD transit-focused patrols
- shields for bus drivers
What we're watching: The seriousness of the FTA's threat. The FTA did not answer Axios' questions about how much money is at stake and what standards it's using to determine whether the CTA's safety plan is appropriate.