HB5825 Summary - Transportation Choices Act

• Requires the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to establish greenhouse gas (GHG) emission targets for the transportation sector by January 1, 2026, allocating targets to the Department of Transportation and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs).

• Mandates that the Department and MPOs conduct GHG emissions analyses for transportation planning documents and perform specific analyses before including roadway capacity expansion projects, with requirements to identify mitigation measures if targets cannot be met.

• Establishes a "climate equity accessibility score" requirement for projects costing $30 million or more to measure impacts on GHG emissions, job accessibility, and transportation affordability, prioritizing projects with higher scores.

• Requires housing coordination planning by MPOs to integrate transportation and land use policies that increase housing and transportation affordability while reducing vehicle miles traveled and GHG emissions.

• Creates a Greenhouse Gas in Transportation Working Group by January 1, 2025, with diverse stakeholder representation to assist with planning implementation, and requires the Department to issue triennial reports on transportation sector GHG reduction progress starting January 1, 2028.