INDIANAPOLIS — An innovative plan to finance development near commuter rail stations on the South Shore Line and proposed West Lake extension was approved 19-3 Monday by the House Ways and Means Committee. House Bill 1144, sponsored by state Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville, would put the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority in charge of promoting and managing commercial and residential investment at Transit Development Districts centered on the rail stops. The legislation authorizes the RDA to borrow funds to speed construction of property improvements that still would be subject to municipal planning and zoning ordinances.
The South Shore will operate a regular weekday train schedule on Presidents' Day, Monday, February 20, 2017 with select trains stopping at McCormick Place for the Auto Show. Click here for a schedule of Auto Show trains. All ticket offices will observe regular hours.
It’s early days, but the effort to make the already-terrific South Shore Railroad even better is on the right track. A double track.
MUNSTER — The developers who bought one of the town's last available multi-lot pieces of land believe they got a good deal on property that will only become more valuable. The 15 acres in the West Lake Estates neighborhood borders the CSX freight railroad — and, if things go according to plan, in five years the South Shore Line's West Lake Corridor. As area residents get the chance at two public forums this week to voice their opinions on development around the West Lake Corridor's stations, the developers of the property in West Lake Estates see the train as a bonus.
We love our riders! To enhance ridership and attract new riders to the system, you can ride the South Shore Line for FREE* on all Westbound weekend and off-peak weekday trains from Sunday, February 12, thru Saturday, February 18, 2017. *Riders pay the applicable fare on their eastbound trip.
The Region’s official holiday, 219 Day, is back. On 2/18 Hammond, IN is throwing its 2nd annual party at the Hammond Civic Center to celebrate the special day named after Northwest Indiana’s area code. The South Shore Line will be providing a FREE shuttle bus from the Hammond station to the Hammond Civic Center (Compliments of the Hammond Port Authority) and back. The shuttle will run from 5pm-11:30pm.
CHESTERTON — The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District's Board of Trustees recently approved a five-year capital plan surpassing $1.1 billion in investment in the South Shore Line.
The list includes the West Lake Corridor and Double Track NWI projects, the rerouting of the railroad's approach to the South Bend International Airport, purchase of new rail cars and completion of a federally mandated safety project. "The face of this railroad will look significantly different when this five-year period is done," said South Shore President and General Manager Michael Noland.
DYER — In a 3-1 vote Tuesday, the Town Council gave the green light to a resolution approving the West Lake commuter rail project with specific recommendations. Voting for that resolution were Debbie Astor, R-5th Ward; Jeff Dekker, R-2nd Ward, and Mary Tanis, R-4th Ward. Cathy J. Lareau, R-3rd Ward, voted against this version. Joe Cinko, D-1st Ward, was absent. One of three resolutions drawn up regarding the West Lake Corridor project for the special meeting, the approved 2017-06-A Resolution featured the South Shore’s preferred option to extend the railroad 9 miles south from a new Gateway station in Hammond to Main Street on the Munster-Dyer border.
The State of Indiana will subsidize the South Shore commuter line by around $16 million this year, according to the 2017 business plan adopted by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District’s Board of Trustees at its meeting Friday morning. Trustees voted unanimously to approve that plan.