SONGWRITER ROBBIE FULKS ON HIS

FIRST TIME GRAMMY NOMINATIONS.

FIRST, EDDIE ARRUZA AND

ARCHBISHOP TRANSPORTATION PLANS

FOR CHICAGO.

>> PHIL, MAYOR EMANUEL SAYS HE

WANTS TO RESURRECT THE LONG PLAN

TO CONSTRUCT THE HIGH SPEED RAIL

LINE BETWEEN THE LOOP AND

O'HARE.

HE ALSO ANNOUNCED THE

CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW CTA GREEN

LINE STATION NEAR THE UNITED

CENTER.

TWO OF THE PROJECTS HE TOUTED

TODAY.

BUT FUNDING AND LOGISTICS REMAIN

OBSTACLES.

>> THE PROJECTS WE'VE PLANNED WE

HAVE PLANNED IN THE NEXT THREE

YEARS WILL CREATE OVER 40,000

MORE JOBS BUILDING A NEW

CHICAGO.

[APPLAUSE]

>> AND JOINING US TO TONIGHT

PROVIDE DETAILS ABOUT THE FUTURE

OF CHICAGO'S INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN

ARER TERRY PETERSON CHAIRMAN OF

THE CHICAGO TRANSIT BOARD,

JONATHAN LEACH MANAGING DIRECTOR

OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEPARTMENT

OF AVIATION AND REBEKAH

SCHEINFELD THE COMMISSIONER OF

THE CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION.

THE HIGH SPEED RAIL HAS BEEN ON

THE WISH LIST IS THERE REASON TO

BELIEVE THAT IT CAN GET UNDERWAY

NOW?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT JUST GOING

BACK WHEN THE MAYOR SAID HE WAS

GOING TO MAKE CTA A PRIORITY AND

FAST FORWARD HAS HE DELIVERED ON

THAT?

SINCE 2011, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR,

CTA HAS EITHER FINISHED, BEGUN

OR ANNOUNCED OVER $8 BILLION IN

PROJECTS AROUND THE CITY.

>> WHAT IS THE TANGIBLE EVIDENCE

THAT THIS HIGH SPEED RAIL CAN

GET UNDERWAY?

>> WHEN THE MAYOR SAYS HE IS

GOING TO DELIVER ON SOMETHING, I

THINK THE RECORD HAS BEEN PROVE

ESPECIALLY OVER THE PAST FIVE

YEARS THAT HE DELIVERS.

IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT

BILLION PROJECT.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE RECORD OVER

THE PAST FIVE YEARS IN TERMS OF

HIS COMMITMENT TO TRANSIT IF HE

SAYS HE IS GOING TO DO IT HE

DELIVERED ON THAT.

>> JONATHAN LEACH WHAT IS O'HARE

AIRPORT'S ROLE IN GETTING THIS

DONE?

>> WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE

TERMINALS IT MAKES SENSE AT THIS

TIME TO LOOK FOR AN IDEAL

LOCATION TO PLACE IT AT O'HARE

SO THE OPPORTUNITY EXISTS RIGHT

NOW TO HELP MAKE THAT A REALITY

BY VIR USE OF THE PLANS WE ARE

EMBARKING ON TO BUILD GATES AT

THE AIRPORT.

>> ARE THE AIRLINES BEING ASKED

TO PITCH IN ON FUNDING THE

PROJECT?

>> NO.

RIGHT NOW THE FUNDING IS STILL

TO BE DETERMINED.

THE FACT THAT WE ARE

REDEVELOPING THE TERMINALS AND

PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN

UP SPACE FOR THAT IS WHY IT

MAKES SENSE TO HAVE THE

DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION INVOLVED.

>> REBEKAH SCHEINFELD WHAT IS

THE CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION'S ROLE IN GETTING

THIS DONE?

>> RIGHT NOW IT IS TILL IN A DUE

DILIGENCE PHASE AND WE ARE

PLAYING OUR ROLE IN SUPPORTING

THE DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION AND

THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND THE CTA

AS APPLICABLE AS THE MAYOR MOVES

THE PROJECT FORWARD AND EXPLORES

THE APPROPRIATE RIGHT-OF-WAY TO

ENACT THIS AMBITIOUS PROJECT.

>> THERE WAS A CTA STATION

CONSTRUCTED UNDER BLOCK 3710

YEARS AGO AND IT COST $200

MILLION AND IT IS STILL

UNFINISHED AND THAT WAS SUPPOSED

TO BE THE LOOP HUB FOR THIS

O'HARE LINK.

AND NOW THE CHICAGO DEPARTMENT

OF TRANSPORTATION IS THE

OVERSEEING AGENCIES OF SOME OF

THESE NEW CTA STATIONS.

WILL YOU BE IN CHARGE OF

RESURRECTING THIS UNFINISHED

STATION?

>> THE PROPERTY IS UNDER THE

AUSPICES OF THE CTA BUT YOU ARE

RIGHT, THE CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION WORKS WITH THE

CTA ON BUILDING A SIGNIFICANT

AMOUNT OF THE RAIL

INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE CITY AND

WE ARE PLEASED TO BE DELIVERING

THAT FOR THE CTA WE BUILT THE

MORGAN STATION AND McCORMICK

PLACE AND DOING THE CONSTRUCTION

ON THE GREEN LINE STATION AT

DAMON THAT WE ARE PLEASED TO

ANNOUNCE TODAY.

>> TERRY PETERSON YOU SAY IF THE

MAYOR SAYS IT IT WILL GET DONE.

AT WHAT COST AND WHERE IS THE

FUNDING COMING FROM?

>> I SAID MORE THAN THAT THE.

I SAID IF HE SAYS IT AND YOU

LOOK AT THE TRACK RECORD HE

DELIVERED ON THE PROMISES.

AGAIN AS MENTIONED WE WILL BE

WORKING AS PARTNERS IN THE

EFFORT.

THE MAYOR SAYS THAT HE IS GOING

TO HAVE SOMEONE COME ONBOARD AND

LOOK FOR PROPER FUNDING AND

PUBLIC FUNDING TO GET IT DONE.

AND HIS TRACK RECORD SPEAKS FOR

ITSELF.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAJOR

PROJECTS THE RAIL LINE EXTENSION

AND THE RED PURPLE MODERNIZATION

FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN HE SAID HE

IS GOING TO MAKE INVESTING IN

TRANSIT A PRIORITY HE HAS DONE

IT.

>> ESTIMATE HOW MUCH IT WILL

COST?

>> DON'T KNOW.

>> THERE IS AN ENGINEERING FIRM

INVOLVED AN THEY HAVE A $2

MILLION CONTRACT TO IDENTIFY

ROUTES AND COSTS AND NOW THE

CITY HIRED A FORMER U.S.

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICIAL BOB RIFKIN TO OFFER

LEGAL ADVICE.

WHAT IS Mr. RIFKIN AND WHAT

ADVICE?

>> BOB HAS A LONG HISTORY IN

TRANSPORTATION.

I THINK BOB WAS FORMER GENERAL

COUNSEL WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION.

HE WAS GENERAL COUNSEL WITH

CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY HE HAS

A LONG HISTORY IN

TRANSPORTATION.

>> JONATHAN LEACH THIS

INFRASTRUCTURE PROPOSAL AND IT

IS MORE EXPANSIVE AND WE WILL

GET TO THE OTHER ASPECTS BUT IT

COMES AT A TIME WHEN O'HARE AND

THE AIRLINES ARE UNDER

NEGOTIATIONS TO DETERMINE HOW

MANY MORE GATES WILL COME TO

O'HARE AND WHO IS GOING TO GET

THEM.

THE LEASE ALSO IS UP NEXT YEAR

IN 2018 OVER WHO IS GOING TO PAY

FOR WHAT.

HOW DOES THIS ALL FACTOR INTO

THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLANS

ESPECIALLY THE EXPANSION?

>> IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE

ACCOMPLISHED WE HAVE OPENED TWO

NEW RUNWAYS A NEW TRAFFIC

CONTROL TOWER THAT SAY $2

BILLION INVESTMENT.

WE HAVE $3 BILLION IN ACTIVE

PROJECTS AT BOTH O'HARE AND

MIDWAY.

WE'VE GOT GREAT RELATIONSHIPS

WITH ALL OF OUR AIRLINE

PARTNERS.

WE HAVE 900 MILLION DOLLARS IN

CONTRACTS GOING OUT ON THE

STREET THIS YEAR.

THAT INVESTMENT IN THE AIRFIELD

IS SETTING UP THE FUTURE OF

O'HARE IN TERMS OF GATE

EXPANSION.

NOW THAT THE AIRFIELD WILL BE

AMONG THE MOST EFFICIENT IN THE

COUNTRY, WILL BE GATE

CONSTRAINED AND IT'S TIME TO

LOOK AT INVESTMENT IN THE GATES

AND ALLOCATION FOR ALL OF OUR

AIRLINE PARTNERS NOT ONLY OUR

HUBS BUT EVERYBODY THERE.

>> AND I KNOW YOU CANNOT GIVE

DETAILS WHAT IS GOING ON WITH

THE NEGOTIATIONS, BUT, STILL,

ARE YOU GOING TO PRESS THE

AIRLINES TO CHIP IN MORE FOR THE

EXPANSION AND EVEN

INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS?

>> THE NEGOTIATION WITH THE

AIRLINES RIGHT NOW INCLUDES THIS

TERMINAL AREA PLAN THAT WE

ANNOUNCED LAST YEAR AND WE'VE

MOVED QUITE A BIT ON THAT IN

TERMS OF LOOKING AT HE

REDEVELOPMENT OF TERMINAL TWO AS

A NEW INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL

FACILITY AND ADDITIONAL GATES.

>> REBEKAH SCHEINFELD YOU WERE

ON THE PROGRAM NOT LONG AGO

TALKING ABOUT A HOST OF C DOT

PROJECTS AND ONE WAS THE RETRO

FIGHTING OF THE STREET LIGHTS IN

CHICAGO.

AND YOU HAVE DECIDED TO SEND IT

OUT FORBID AND THE

INFRASTRUCTURE TRUST IS GOING TO

PAY FOR THIS.

IN TERMS OF OTHER PROJECTS

ESPECIALLY THESE INFRASTRUCTURE

PROJECTS INVOLVING THE CTA, THE

MAYOR IS SAYING THERE ARE

PRIVATE INVESTORS FROM ALL

AROUND THE WORLD INTERESTED IN

INVESTING.

CAN YOU TELL US ANYTHING ABOUT

THAT?

AND HOW MUCH THEY ARE EXPECTED

TO CONTRIBUTE?

>> I THINK THE REFERENCE WAS

TODAY IN RELATION TO THE AIRPORT

EXPRESS RAIL IN PROTECT.

BUT AS YOU KNOW THE MAYOR HAS A

STRONG TRACK RECORD OF

ATTRACTING PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN

THE CITY WHEN IT'S HEADQUARTERS

RELOCATION OR CAPITAL

INVESTMENT.

THE WANDA TOWER BUILDINGS

DOWNTOWN ON THE RIVER THAT IS $1

BILLION OF CAPITAL COMING IN AND

A LOT FROM OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY.

CHICAGO IS A LEADER IN

ATTRACTING PRIVATE INVESTMENT.

>> HOW WOULD THAT WORK FOR THE

O'HARE LINE?

WHAT WOULD THE INVESTORS WANT IN

RETURN?

>> I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING

THAT BOB RIFKIN WILL BE

EXPLORING FURTHER.

AS WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE IDEA OF

AN EXPRESS RAIL TO THE AIRPORT

IS SOMETHING THAT HAS COME UP

OVER THE YEARS.

AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ENVISIONED

OF SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE A

GREAT PROJECT FOR A

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AND

MINIMIZE TAXPAYER FUNDS AND BE

MORE OF A PRIVATE INVESTMENT.

>> I'M NOT SURE WHO IS THE ONE

TO ASK ABOUT THIS QUESTION SINCE

YOU ARE HANDLING THE CTA AT

LEAST THE WHAT BASH MAD WABASH

MADISON STOP BUT THE RED LINE

EXTENSION IS PROPOSED NOW DOWN

TO 130TH STREET AND THE GREEN

LINE STOP L STATION NEAR THE

UNITED CENTER IS SOMETHING NEW.

WHO CAN BE THE SPOKES PERSON.

>> THAT IS ANOTHER GOOD

PARTNERSHIP WITH C DOT.

>> TELL ME ABOUT THE FUNDING AND

WHAT BROUGHT ABOUT THE NEW GREEN

LINE STATION?

>> THE ONE AT DAMON LAKE IS THE

ONE THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT

THAT THE MAYOR ANNOUNCED TODAY.

ALDERMAN BARNETT AND THE

COMMUNITY HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT

THAT PROJECT FOR ALMOST 15

YEARS.

THEY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET IT.

RESIDENTS IN THE AREA HAVE TO

TRAVEL A MILE TO A

MILE-AND-A-HALF TO GET TO RAIL.

AND SO THE DAY THE MAYOR

ANNOUNCED IT AND IT'S GOING TO

BE SIMILAR TO THE MORGAN STREET

STATION BETWEEN 40-60 MILLION

DOLLARS THAT MONEY WILL COME OUT

OF THE NEARBY TIF.

>> SO WILL IT BE FUNDED BY TIF.

FUNDS HAVE NOT BEEN SECURED?

>> THE WAY WE ENDED UP FUNDING

AND BUILDING THE MORGAN STREET

STATION.

>> AND HOW MUCH IS THAT STATION

GOING TO COST?

>> I SAID THE MORGAN STREET

STATION WAS AROUND $40-$60

MILLION AND THE STATION WE WILL

BUILD AT DAMON AND LAKE WILL

ALSO BE IN THAT PRICE RANGE AND

IT WILL BE FUNDED OUT OF THE TIF

NEAR THERE.

>> AND WHAT ABOUT THE RED LINE

EXPANSION?

THAT IS A BOLD PROPOSAL.

>> BOLD PROPOSAL.

>> AND TELL ME THE FUNDING FOR

THAT?

>> IN TERMS OF THE FUNDING IT'S

IN OUR BUDGET IN FY17 TO

CONTINUE THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND

THE ENGINEERING STUDY THAT IS

NEEDED TO KEEP THE PROJECT IN

THE CAN QUEUE MANY AND WE THINK

THE PROJECT WILL COST AROUND

$2.3 BILLION AND WE CONTINUE TO

MOVE FORWARD AND STAYING IN THE

PROCESS AND MEETING WITH THE

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND

SOME OF WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO

WITH THE RED LINE PURPLE

MODERNIZATION.

WHEN WE GOT THE LEGISLATION

THROUGH SPRINGFIELD THE RED LINE

EXTENSION IS INCLUDED SO WE CAN

ALSO TIP THAT AREA WHICH WILL

HELP US TO COME UP WITH THE

LOCAL FUNDING.

>> WILL THAT BE ENOUGH TO COVER

IT?

AND HOW MUCH ARE YOU RELYING ON

FEDERAL FUNDS WITH THE NEW

ADMINISTRATION THREATENING TO

PULL FUNDS TO SANCTUARY CITIES

LIKE CHICAGO?

>> YOU HAVE AN ADMINISTRATION

THAT IS TALKING ABOUT

INFRASTRUCTURE IS GOING TO BE A

PRIORITY FOR THEM.

AGAIN, I THINK CHICAGO HAS A

PROVEN TRACK RECORD.

IF YOU TAKE THE RED LINE PURPLE

MODERNIZATION PROJECT $1.1

BILLION WE GOT FROM THE FEDERAL

GOVERNMENT AND COME OUT WITH A

BILLION MATCH.

>> THAT WAS UNDER THE OBAMA

ADMINISTRATION.

>> BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT I'VE GOT

A MAYOR WHO SAYS THAT HE IS

GOING TO GET SOMETHING DONE HE

IS GOING TO WORK ON SOMETHING I

HAVE FAITH IN HIM THAT HE L.

>> REBEKAH SCHEINFELD DO YOU

FEAR THAT FEDERAL FUNDS MY DRY

UP OR NOT BE AS FORTHCOMING?

>> I THINK THE NEW

ADMINISTRATION HAS MADE CLEAR

THAT INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT

IS A PRIORITY.

THE MAYOR MADE CLEAR THAT HE IS

GOING TO CONTINUE TO STAND UP

FOR THE VALUES BUT WHERE THERE

ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTNER HE

IS GOING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF

THOSE.

AND THE LAST FIVE YEARS HE HAS

BEEN AGGRESSIVE ABOUT MAKING THE

MOST EFFICIENT USE OF THE FUNDS

WE HAVE AND AGGRESSIVELY SEEKING

AND SECURING COMPETITIVE DOLLAR

AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND I

EXPECT THAT WILL CONTINUE.

>> AND THE RIVERWALK FOR EXAMPLE

THAT ONE-FOURTH IS BEING FUNDED

BY FEDERAL FUNDS OF I BELIEVE IT

IS A $499 MILLION PROJECT.

>> $108 MILLION AND ABOUT $100

MILONE FROM THE FEDERAL

GOVERNMENT A GREAT EXAMPLE HOW

THE MAYOR HAS BEEN AGGRESSIVE

AND SUCCESSFUL IN SECURING

CREATIVE FINANCING

OPPORTUNITIES.

THAT IS A LOAN SECURED BY THE

REVENUES COMING FROM THE

CONCESSIONS ON THE RIVERWALK.

>> JONATHAN LEACH LET ME ASK YOU

ABOUT SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND

THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE PROPOSAL

BY ALDERMAN TO ARM GUARDS AT

O'HARE IN THE WAKE OF THE

TRAGEDY IN FORT LAUDERDALE WHAT

DO YOU THINK OF THAT PROPOSAL?

>> SECURITY IS OF COURSE THE

NUMBER ONE PRIORITY AT OUR

AIRPORT AND WE HAVE A

MULTILAYERED APPROACH TO

SECURITY RIGHT NOW BETWEEN OUR

FEDERAL PARTNERS, STATE AND

LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.

THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT IS

OUR LEAD LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

IT IS AN EFFECTIVE SYSTEM THAT

HAS WORKED WITH OUR TERMINAL

DEVELOPMENT WE ARE GOING TO LOOK

FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO PUT

SECURITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND

TECHNOLOGY.

>> SHOULD THE GUARDS BE ARMED?

DO YOU HAVE THOUGHT ON THAT.

>> WE HAVE CHICAGO POLICE THERE

THAT HAVE GUNS.

>> AND TERRY PETERSON LET ME ASK

YOU ABOUT HOW 2016 FOR THE CTA,

WAS RIDERSHIP UP?

>> RIDERSHIP WAS DOWN BOTH ON

RAIL AND BUS BUT WE CONTINUE TO

MAKE INVESTMENTS IN IT AND WE

THINK WE ARE DOING THINGS THAT

WILL BRING BACK RIDERS.

WE'VE GOT 4G ON THE RAIL STATION

WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO

INVEST AND PARTS OF THE CITY WE

ARE SEEING INCREASES BUT OVERALL

RIDERSHIP WAS DOWN.

>> HOW MUCH DOWN WAS IT?

>> I DON'T HAVE THE PERCENTAGE

OFFHAND I CAN GET THAT TO YOU.

>> AND DO YOU HAVE IDEAS WHY IT

HAPPENED?

COSTS?

>> I THINK IT'S COMPETITION.

I MEAN TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I

THINK UBER AND LYFT, I THINK

HAVE COME INTO THE MARKET AND I

THINK THAT YOU KNOW THAT HAS

PROBABLY CAUSED SOME --

ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAVE SEEN

A DROP OFF IN RIDERSHIP.

>> GIVEN THAT YOUR RIDERSHIP IS

DOWN, DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO HAVE

THESE AMBITIOUS EXPANSION PLANS

WHEN THE RIDERSHIP DOES NOT SEEM

TO BE THERE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE BEEN

ABLE TO SEE IS AN INVESTMENT IN

TRANSIT IS AN INVESTMENT IN THE

COMMUNITY.

AND YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF

JOBS THAT GET CREATED.

AND YOU LOOK AT THE MORGAN

STREET STATION LESS THAN THREE

YEARS OF BEING IN PLACE OVER ONE

MILLION RIDERS.

AND YOU LOOK WHAT WE HAVE

INVESTED ON THE SOUTH SIDE.