The South Shore Line is wrapping up work on the $950 million West Lake Hall undertaking. The $650 million Double Observe NWI undertaking so as to add capability alongside the normal east-west Shoreline route is completed. The $200 million undertaking so as to add one other line from 18th Avenue to Millennium Station in Chicago is nicely underway.
That checks off nearly all the things within the railroad’s present strategic plan, mentioned Michael Noland, president and common supervisor of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, which runs the South Shore Line.
What’s subsequent? What’s the imaginative and prescient for the subsequent 20 years?
A strategic plan is being developed to reply these questions. That course of started in September.
The West Lake Hall undertaking was all the time meant to be a phased undertaking, Noland mentioned.
When service alongside the north-south route begins someday subsequent yr – he hopes for spring but it surely may very well be as late as fall – the trains will cease in Dyer as a “kiss and experience” station. The plan all alongside has been to ship trains as far south as Cedar Lake. That might occur.
Throughout early discussions for the West Lake Hall route, boosters had been hopeful that the trains may go to Valparaiso, too. A feasibility research mentioned there wasn’t sufficient inhabitants but to justify federal funding for the route.
LaPorte Mayor Tom Dermody has expressed curiosity within the South Shore Line constructing a spur to his metropolis, too, Noland mentioned.
An enormous South Bend undertaking is feasible, too. The primary could be rerouting trains to serve the west facet of the South Bend airport as a substitute of the east facet.
After the airport undertaking is completed, the railroad may doubtlessly push into downtown South Bend. Some civic boosters there wish to see passenger service downtown. The strategic plan may take that into consideration, too.
On Monday, the NICTD board authorised an settlement with the South Bend airport board to maneuver the railroad’s station to the west facet of the airport.
It was 33 years in the past that the South Shore Line served the east facet of the airport on a brief foundation. “Short-term has a that means within the railroad historical past and is now outlined as no less than 33 years,” Noland mentioned.
“We’ve been negotiating with the airport for simply wanting three years,” Noland mentioned.
The brand new settlement permits the railroad to accumulate an easement into the airport on the west facet and has a separate provision for house throughout the airport terminal to deal with railroad passengers.
“I’m right here to advocate to the board that we transfer ahead with this settlement and leverage no matter remaining alternative there’s left to go after federal capital {dollars} to get the airport funded,” Noland instructed the railroad’s board. There’s nonetheless cash left within the pot of cash authorised beneath the bipartisan infrastructure regulation and the present Floor Transportation Act, he mentioned.
“We are able to’t wait anymore. We’re going to fund this undertaking. Now’s the time to go after these federal {dollars}, to ascertain the native funding supply and transfer this undertaking ahead,” he mentioned.
Noland isn’t certain the place the native share of the $112 million undertaking will come from. He mentioned being aggressive within the grant course of means developing with $56 million in native funding. He’s able to strategy the state, St. Joseph County, South Bend and others to provide you with that native dedication. “I’ll have a bake sale if I must,” he mentioned.
Transferring the rail line will should be authorised by the Federal Aviation Administration.
As a result of the railroad is shopping for an easement to entry the airport, its annual cost to service the airport will drop from $75,000 to $25,000. That charge might be adjusted in line with truthful market charges, in line with the settlement, with the railroad paying 20% of the bottom fee charged to an airport buyer. “They gained’t indiscriminately increase our charges,” Noland mentioned.
The charge to riders for utilizing the car parking zone on the airport will improve for the primary time in 33 years, from the prevailing $1 for 18 hours.
The settlement additionally might be canceled by the airport if the railroad’s utilization drops under 14 trains per week. “We function 84 trains per week now with extra service coming, so it’s a very low threshold,” Noland mentioned.
“This has been an arduous journey over the past 33 months,” NICTD board member Carl Baxmeyer mentioned. He’s St. Joseph County’s consultant. The secret is that the railroad retained the correct to be on the airport, he mentioned.
Jim Arnold, LaPorte County’s consultant on NICTD’s board, additionally sat in on negotiations. “I’ve by no means seen so many intricate particulars of a minor nature play into a serious contract like they did on the airport,” he mentioned. “That is that is only a milestone for NICTD,” he mentioned.
Doug Ross is a contract reporter for the Submit-Tribune.
