Metra proposing $1.1B operating budget including changes to fare structure

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Metra is proposing a  $1.1 billion operating budget for next year which includes major changes to its fare structure.

The rail agency wants to nix 10-ride passes and reduce fare zones from 10 to four.

Metra is also seeking to end promotional $6 and $10-day passes and the $100 monthly pass introduced during the pandemic.

The $1.1 billion budget is nearly 5% higher than the year before.

About $574 million of that will go to construction and repairs.

It comes as Metra's ridership levels are still less than half of what they were pre-pandemic. Public hearings on the budget will be held next month.

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