What types of transportation do you use during an average week, and how has this shaped your view of transportation policy?

I primarily drive during the week, often commuting to work or meetings by car. Honestly, due to public safety concerns on the train, I rely on driving more than I otherwise might. Still, I regularly interact with the broader transportation network, from navigating congested roads to occasionally connecting with CTA stations when it’s the more practical option. Experiencing the system from a driver’s perspective has shown me how closely our transportation modes intersect and how gaps in transit, biking, and pedestrian infrastructure ultimately affect everyone on the road.

Relying on driving has shaped my view that transportation policy must prioritize accessibility, safety, reliability, and affordability across all modes. People shouldn’t feel forced to drive because other options are unsafe, unaffordable, or inaccessible, and our communities deserve a network where walking, rolling, biking, or taking transit is a practical and appealing alternative. Strengthening multimodal connections, improving public safety, and investing in dependable, frequent, and affordable service are essential for reducing congestion, expanding economic opportunity, meeting climate goals, and improving quality of life in the 8th District.

What are some transportation challenges in your district?

The 8th District faces several transportation challenges that limit residents’ daily mobility and their ability to access jobs, schools, and essential services.

• Limited transit access in many suburban areas. Communities like La Grange, La Grange Park, Western Springs, Countryside, Hodgkins, and North Riverside have minimal or no frequent bus service. This forces many residents especially low-income families to rely on cars even when it is a financial burden.

• Gaps in safe pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. Major corridors such as Cermak, Roosevelt, Harlem, Ogden, and 1st Avenue often lack protected bike lanes, ADA-accessible sidewalks, and safe crosswalks. These gaps create dangerous conditions for seniors, students, and people with disabilities.

• Reliability and frequency issues on existing transit routes. Residents in Chicago and Oak Park/Forest Park report long wait times and inconsistent bus service, making it difficult for people working nontraditional or shift-based schedules to depend on transit.

• Safety concerns from high-speed traffic. Corridors like Roosevelt Road, Harlem Avenue, and 47th Street have histories of crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists, yet lack adequate traffic-calming measures.

• Accessibility barriers at nearby transit stations. Some rail stations serving the district are not fully ADA accessible, creating obstacles for older adults, parents with strollers, and people who use mobility devices.

• Lack of first- and last-mile connections. Even in areas with transit access, many residents face unsafe or inconvenient walks to bus stops or rail stations due to missing sidewalks, poor lighting, and limited micromobility options.

The Illinois Department of Transportation (“IDOT”) plays a significant role in transportation throughout the state, in Chicago, and Cook County. What is your opinion on their role with the Chicago Department of Transportation, Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways, local communities, and the impact that has?

IDOT plays a major role in shaping transportation in Chicago and Cook County because it controls many of the state routes that run through our neighborhoods. While it’s an important partner, its priorities don’t always align with those of local agencies or the communities most affected by its projects.

Too often, IDOT designs neighborhood streets like highways, which can lead to unsafe crossings, higher speeds, and barriers to local business and transit access. I believe IDOT should work more collaboratively with CDOT, the Cook County Department of Transportation, and local municipalities by prioritizing safety, accessibility, and multimodal travel, and by bringing community voices into the process earlier.

A stronger partnership would ensure that state-controlled roads reflect the needs of the people who live along them and help create safer, more connected, and more vibrant communities.

How do you view the Illinois General Assembly’s role in setting IDOT’s priorities for public transit, passenger rail, and strengthening accessibility in transportation?

The Illinois General Assembly plays a critical role in shaping IDOT’s priorities because it sets both the policy direction and the funding structure that guide the agency’s decisions. Without clear expectations and dedicated resources, IDOT cannot truly advance public transit, passenger rail, safety, or accessibility.

The General Assembly should push IDOT toward a more multimodal, people-centered transportation system by:

• Prioritizing safety, access, and equity in statute. State routes running through neighborhoods must be designed with pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, older adults, and people with disabilities in mind.

• Increasing investment in public transit and passenger rail. Stable, long-term funding allows CTA, Metra, and Pace to improve reliability, frequency, and accessibility.

• Strengthening accountability and transparency. Performance metrics and reporting requirements ensure IDOT aligns with modern transportation goals.

• Making accessibility non-negotiable. ADA-compliant sidewalks, safe crossings, and transit access must be required on state corridors like Harlem, Cermak, Roosevelt, Ogden, and 1st Avenue.

• Supporting stronger coordination with local agencies. IDOT should work more closely with CDOT, Cook County DOT, and municipalities so state roads support local safety and economic goals.

The General Assembly has the authority and responsibility to guide IDOT toward a safer, more modern, multimodal, and equitable transportation system. I will advocate for policies that move the state in that direction.

States like Colorado, Minnesota, Virginia have passed legislation that has shifted their transportation infrastructure spending towards projects that prioritize safety, transit and cycling, and greenhouse gas mitigation. What’s your position on Illinois’ current transportation infrastructure spending, and if you could change anything, what would it be?

Illinois’ transportation spending still leans heavily toward road expansion and highway-focused projects, even in communities where residents rely on transit, walking, rolling, or biking. While the Rebuild Illinois capital plan made historic investments, much of the funding continues to reinforce car dependency, limiting mobility, increasing greenhouse gas emissions, and making state routes unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists.

Other states, like Colorado, Minnesota, and Virginia, have shown that prioritizing safety, transit modernization, ADA accessibility, and climate-aligned infrastructure is possible—and that it produces better outcomes for residents and local economies. Illinois should follow their lead.

IDOT must prioritize safety and multimodal design on corridors such as Harlem, Cermak, Roosevelt, Ogden, 1st Avenue, and 47th Street, which run through homes, schools, businesses, and transit hubs. More investment is needed in public transit, passenger rail, and first- and last-mile connections to expand opportunity for residents who cannot or should not rely on a car. Projects should be evaluated for climate impact, accessibility, and equity, ensuring all communities gain safer streets and better mobility.

Illinois has the resources to build a safer, cleaner, and more people-centered transportation system, and aligning spending with these priorities is both urgent and achievable.

This fall, the Illinois General Assembly passed a historic investment in transit operations – as well as significant governance reforms in the establishment of the Northern Illinois Transit Authority. How do you view the Assembly’s role in ensuring both the short- and long-term success of this legislation?

The Illinois General Assembly played a critical role in delivering historic investment in transit operations and establishing the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA), but its work is far from finished. For this legislation to succeed both now and in the decades ahead, the Assembly must provide strong oversight, stable funding, and a clear commitment to a modern, equitable, multimodal transit system.

In the short term, the legislature must ensure that NITA’s transition is transparent, guided by community input, and focused on improving service reliability, safety, and accessibility across CTA, Metra, and Pace. Residents should see tangible improvements, including shorter wait times, more frequent buses and trains, better ADA access, and stronger first- and last-mile connections. Coordination among regional agencies and local governments is also essential, particularly on decisions affecting bus priority lanes, transit-oriented development, and state-controlled roads that directly impact service quality.

Over the long term, the Assembly must create stable, recurring revenue for transit operations to allow agencies to plan service expansions, workforce development, and capital needs without facing repeated fiscal uncertainty. State transportation policy should fully support multimodal mobility, ensuring that IDOT’s priorities, spending, and performance metrics align with economic, climate, and equity goals. Equity must be central, prioritizing communities that rely on transit but often receive the least reliable service. Finally, the legislature should continue reviewing and refining NITA to ensure the agency remains transparent, accountable, and effective.

The General Assembly’s role does not end with passing the law; it must ensure that this new investment and governance structure delivers a transit system that is safer, more frequent, fully accessible, and financially sustainable for future generations.

What is your position on investing to expand passenger rail service in Illinois, including the development of high-speed rail?

I support continued exploration of expanded passenger rail service in Illinois, including evaluating the feasibility of high-speed rail. Illinois should absolutely study opportunities to modernize our rail system, but we must do so responsibly, transparently, and with a clear funding strategy that does not burden residents or displace communities.

Federal funding for Illinois transportation projects – such as the Red Line Extension and Red-Purple Modernization projects – has come under threat from the Trump administration. How can legislators shore up funding for critical infrastructure projects under a hostile federal climate?

Now more than ever, federal funding is uncertain and it’s even more important for the Illinois General Assembly to take a proactive and diversified approach to protecting major infrastructure projects like the Red Line Extension and the Red-Purple Modernization. These are projects that communities have waited decades for, and we cannot afford delays caused by shifting federal politics.As a legislator, I believe Illinois can strengthen funding stability by focusing on three key strategies:

1. Create strong state-level funding commitments that make federal withdrawal harder. When Illinois demonstrates a clear, multi-year investment strategy, it positions projects as too far along and too essential to be easily cut. Firm state commitments give agencies leverage and signal seriousness to federal partners.

2. Expand our ability to leverage competitive federal programs. Even under a hostile administration, many infrastructure, climate, and mobility programs remain congressionally authorized. Illinois must be aggressive in pursuing every eligible grant and strengthening partnerships with local governments and MPOs so our applications remain highly competitive regardless of political climate.

3. Build broad coalitions that make these projects politically untouchable. When community leaders, labor, business organizations, environmental advocates, and local governments speak with a unified voice, it becomes much harder for any administration to target Illinois projects without facing strong pushback. Legislators play a key role in helping coordinate and elevate that unified message.

Ultimately, Illinois must plan for long-term resilience in its transportation investments. If federal politics become unpredictable, the state must be steadier, more strategic, and more committed. My focus would be ensuring that transformative projects — especially those serving working-class, transit-dependent communities continue forward regardless of who is in the White House.