Issue Position: Transit

Issue Position

*Jean advocates for transportation funding that includes bus and rail transit as well as roads rather than a "roads-only" policy. As a member of the Capitol Investment Committee she pushed for the necessary matching funds to begin building bus rapid transit (BRT) for 35W and held firm for funds for the Central Corridor LRT.

*When she chaired the Transportation and Transit Committee, she built the House coalition that provided the first funding for the Hiawatha LRT and increased funding for buses. She was the chief author of the project that designed commuter rail routes for the metropolitan area including the North Star Commuter Rail route.

*Jean believes the state should move more quickly to build more rail transit in the metro area and a faster train to Chicago.

*When the legislature increased transit funding during her term as committee chair, she insisted on commitments of specific ridership increases. Those commitments were met. In 1998 ridership increased 6.3% over the previous year. In 1999 the increase was another 8.9%. With Republicans in control funding, and ridership, flattened and dropped.

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