Barrington commuters who rely on Metra or Pace — and those who travel into Chicago and transfer to the CTA — just got a new timeline for potential changes to their trips. Regional transit leaders have shaved next year’s projected budget gap from $770 million to $202 million, buying time and pushing many of the most severe Chicago Transit Authority cuts into the second half of 2026. But the relief is temporary, and the stakes for service across the region will climb again by 2027 without new, recurring state funding.

What changed

At a special Regional Transit Authority meeting, agency heads said they narrowed the near-term shortfall through administrative cuts, revenue from a new online sales tax, and a planned 10% fare increase scheduled to take effect February 1, 2026. Transit administrators renewed their plea for state help during the fall veto session later this month, noting that a transit overhaul bill failed earlier this year.

RTA projections still show the combined deficit rising to about $789 million in 2027 and $888 million in 2028 unless lawmakers provide additional recurring funding. That warning frames the new plan not as a solution, but as a pause before harder choices.

RTA Board Chair Kirk Dillard characterized the special meeting as another example of the agency’s transparency during a fluid budget process. But state Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, a lead negotiator for transit reform in the Illinois House, criticized the RTA’s updated assessments as complicating ongoing talks, calling it an example of why the agency needs reform. “Our legislative working group has engaged in a deliberate and thoughtful process for over a year now and has had to spend this summer digging deeper precisely because the RTA cannot be trusted to appropriately plan and communicate,” she said in a statement.

The timeline ahead

The CTA’s revised calendar pushes major decisions and public input into next year before any cuts take effect. According to CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen, public hearings on potential service reductions will begin November 2025. She said the outcome could be historic, describing the plan as “the single largest transit service cut in the modern history of the Chicago Transit Authority.”

Under the plan:

  • The CTA’s 10% fare increase begins February 1, 2026.
  • A hiring freeze is slated for Q1 2026.
  • Initial CTA service cuts and approximately 1,800 layoffs are expected in the summer of 2026, as federal pandemic grants are exhausted.
  • A deeper second round would arrive in early 2027, potentially amounting to up to a 25% reduction in bus and rail service.

Officials said up to 39 bus routes and one entire L line could be eliminated, though they did not identify specific routes. Overnight service could be cut back, with bus and rail potentially ending at 10 p.m., and bus frequency could be reduced.

The commuter rail and suburban bus systems that serve Barrington would feel the pinch later. Metra CEO James Derwinski said schedule reductions of roughly 40% are possible in early 2027, with those plans to be set in the summer of 2026. Metra also expects a 10% fare increase in February 2026.

Pace expects to avoid a shortfall until 2027 by using reserves, according to agency director Melinda Metzger. But she said ADA paratransit cuts are planned for April 2026, with layoff notices in December 2026, followed by two rounds of service reductions — $22 million in the spring of 2027 and $24 million in December 2027.

What it could mean for Barrington riders

For Barrington residents who take Metra into the city or connect to CTA trains and buses, the picture is a mix of delayed disruption and looming uncertainty. With CTA’s largest cuts pushed to summer 2026 and beyond, near-term commutes may hold steady. But the scheduled fare hikes in early 2026, the prospect of fewer late-night options on the CTA, and the risk of substantial Metra schedule reductions in 2027 could reshape how local riders plan trips.

  • Commuters who travel to Chicago and transfer to the CTA could face longer waits or earlier last trips if overnight service ends and frequencies drop.
  • Those who depend on Pace’s ADA paratransit may see reduced service beginning April 2026, an acute concern for riders with disabilities who have few alternatives.
  • A 10% fare increase in February 2026 adds to household costs and could force trade-offs for frequent riders.

Equity concerns run through these scenarios. Agency statements and projections point to disproportionate impacts on low-income riders, essential workers traveling in off-peak hours, and people with disabilities. If CTA layoffs materialize, the loss of about 1,800 jobs would ripple beyond Chicago, tightening household budgets and circulating less spending across the regional economy. For suburban communities like Barrington, the added uncertainty may also complicate employer scheduling and hiring, particularly for shift work that depends on late-evening transit connections.

The political reality

Transit leaders say the region’s fiscal cliff is largely the product of expiring federal pandemic aid and revenue patterns that haven’t rebounded enough to cover operations. Their message to Springfield was direct: without recurring state support, the path points to steep service reductions in 2027 and 2028.

The tension over how to get there surfaced in the split-screen between RTA’s emphasis on transparency and Rep. Delgado’s sharp critique of its planning and communication. For Barrington riders, the debate matters less for its rhetoric than for its outcome: the timing and structure of any state deal could determine how much service is preserved — and where — over the next three years.

What to watch

  • November 2025: CTA public hearings on potential service cuts begin.
  • February 1, 2026: 10% fare increases take effect; CTA and Metra plan to implement.
  • Q1 2026: CTA hiring freeze.
  • April 2026: Pace ADA paratransit cuts planned.
  • Summer 2026: CTA’s first service cuts and about 1,800 layoffs; Metra sets 2027 schedule plans.
  • December 2026: Pace layoff notices.
  • Early 2027: CTA’s second, deeper round of reductions (up to 25%); Metra considers schedule cuts of roughly 40%.
  • Spring and December 2027: Pace reductions totaling $46 million.
  • 2027–2028: RTA projects combined shortfalls of about $789 million and $888 million, respectively, absent new recurring funding.

For now, Barrington residents should mark the hearing schedule and the February 2026 fare changes on their calendars, and watch the fall veto session for any movement in Springfield. The revised budget buys time, but the trajectory is clear: without new, dependable funding, service becomes the balancing lever. How — and where — it gets pulled will shape daily life for riders here and across the region.