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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
RESOLUTION HONORING RICK KWASNESKI FOR A LIFETIME OF PUBLIC SERVICE
WHEREAS, Chairman Rick Kwasneski was originally appointed to the Pace Board on August 28, 2002 as the representative from Southwest Cook County, and then was appointed Chairman of the Pace Board on December 7, 2006, becoming the third and longest-serving chairman in Pace’s history; and
WHEREAS, Chairman Kwasneski’s advocacy to the Illinois General Assembly enabled Pace to thrive, resulting in legislation that increased Pace funding in both 2008 and 2025; and
WHEREAS, Chairman Kwasneski’s vision for express bus-on-shoulder service led to a 2011 change in State law that makes Pace the sole operator of buses on the shoulder of Interstate 55 in the southwest suburbs and which led to 600% ridership growth in that corridor over the first seven years of the service; and
WHEREAS, Chairman Kwasneski led the development of Pace’s Pulse rapid transit program and the launch of the first two lines, on Milwaukee Avenue in 2019, and on Dempster Street in 2023, with another four lines currently in development; and
WHEREAS, Chairman Kwasneski’s focus on Pace’s role in economic development led to the construction of a new Acceptance Facility and a new Central Safety & Training and Customer Service Facility, both in Markham, and a new Heritage Division in Plainfield, Pace’s first new operating garage in more than 30 years; and
WHEREAS, Chairman Kwasneski’s vision for improving the facilities Pace’s customers use on a daily basis led to the largest infrastructure program in Pace’s history, including a new park-n-ride in Plainfield, a new Joliet Transit Center, and an expanded Northwest Transportation Center; and
WHEREAS, Chairman Kwasneski’s commitment to innovation led to the development of the Call-n-Ride program, later rebranded as On Demand, which has now spread to eleven different suburban zones, as well as the launch of the VanGo program, which has spread to eight different suburban zones, and the creation of the Taxi Access and Rideshare Access Programs for Paratransit-certified customers; and
WHEREAS, Chairman Kwasneski’s twenty-year tenure resulted in Pace providing nearly 600 million total trips to northeastern Illinois commuters, ensuring that an average of one hundred thousand people per day were able to access employment, education, medical services and leisure activities in our region as a result of his leadership; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we do hereby acknowledge Chairman Kwasneski’s accomplishments, express our gratitude for his years of dedicated service, and extend our best wishes to him in all future endeavors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this Resolution be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body, and that an official copy of same be tendered to Chairman Rick Kwasneski.
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