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CBS 2's Joanie Lum contributed to this report.
CHICAGO (CBS) ― Lawmakers in Springfield have postponed a hearing to come up with funding for mass transit, and fare hikes and service cuts are now certain to become a reality.

As CBS 2's Joanie Lum reports, the CTA doomsday deadline is Sept. 16, but lawmakers in Springfield will not be meeting to rescue the transit agency before then.

Instead, the General Assembly scheduled a special session of Sept. 17, the day after the fare hikes and service cuts take effect. They had planned to meet earlier, but the earlier meeting was canceled Friday night.

The CTA put Springfield and its riders on notice, laid off 750 employees, and started adjusting the fare boxes to prepare for the fare increases and cuts in service.

Starting a week from Sunday, bus fares will go up to $2.50 cash. Train fares will also be $2.50 for off-peak hours, and $3 during morning and afternoon peak times. In addition, 39 bus routes will be cut, including numerous express routes that commuters count on.

In an open letter to customers that appears on the CTA's Web site and has also been printed in newspapers recently, CTA President Ron Huberman says state legislators are to blame for the fare cuts.

"CTA Chairman Carole Brown and I have met many times with the legislative leadership to develop a legislative proposal that would end this cycle of 'doomsday' scenarios and ensure the fiscal health of the CTA for years to come," Huberman wrote. "However, the General Assembly has not acted on this legislation, and the CTA cannot afford to continue to provide our current level of service."

Huberman also suggests in the letter that CTA customers write in and complain to state legislators.

In an interview this week, Huberman predicted the changes on the CTA would cause problems for riders right away.

"The impact of that will be very severe," Huberman said. "People will see much greater congestion. They will find it much harder to get to work. We will be leaving people, literally, on the curb."

He predicted that 100,000 riders each day would stop using the CTA.

On Saturday morning, CTA riders said they were hoping for legislative action.

"We have limited transportation now. Sometimes we wait 45 minutes for a bus. That's terrible," said customer Marie Baxtrom, "and the fares – people don't have that kind of money for the fares."

But some said the fares were still reasonable for the quality of service.

"The CTA is probably one of the best public transportation systems in the country," said customer Brian Tooks. "The fares are reasonable; I think they will be even after the rate increase."

Huberman said he is still hopeful that lawmakers in Springfield will come up with a plan so the changes can be rescinded. But he said the CTA had to spend $2 million just to prepare for the doomsday plan, which cannot be retrieved.

Bus Routes That Will Be Eliminated:

X3 King Drive Express
X4 Cottage Grove Express
17 Westchester
19 United Center Express
X20 Washington/Madison Express
X28 Stony Island Express
X49 Western Express
53AL South Pulaski Limited
X54 Cicero Express
54A North Cicero/Skokie Blvd
X55 Garfield Express
55A 55th/Austin
55N 55th/Narragansett
56A North Milwaukee
62H Archer/Harlem
64 Foster/Canfield
69 Cumberland/East River
X80 Irving Park Express
85A North Central
86 Narragansett/Ridgeland
90N North Harlem
93 California/Dodge
96 Lunt
120 Ogilvie/Wacker Express
121 Union/Wacker Express
122 Illinois Center/Ogilvie Express
123 Illinois Center/Union Express
125 Water Tower Express
127 Madison/Roosevelt Circulator
129 West Loop/South Loop
130 Grant Park Treasures
134 Stockton/LaSalle Express
135 Clarendon/LaSalle Express
143 Stockton/Michigan Express
144 Marine/Michigan Express
157 Streeterville
165 West 65th
200 Main Shuttle
205 Chicago/Golf

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