St. Joseph County Approves Double Tracking Funding
The projects still face multiple hurdles.
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has approved an agreement to help fund the $290 million South Shore double tracking project. The South Bend Tribune reports the county will invest more than $18 million on the project, which would reduce the travel time from South Bend to Chicago on the South Shore Line.
The agreement has already been approved by the South Bend Redevelopment Commission, according to the publication. The project would add a second full track on the existing line between Gary and Michigan City. The Tribune reports South Bend has also committed up to $25 million to realign the line’s approach to South Bend International Airport. All together, travel time on the South Bend-to-Chicago trip would be reduced by an hour.
Officials in northwest Indiana are awaiting a decision on federal funding for the project, which will cover 50 percent of the project’s total cost. The publication says that decision is expected this fall. Another 25 percent of the funding from the state was approved earlier this year during the legislative session, and the final 25 percent will come jointly from Lake, Porter, LaPorte, and St. Joseph counties.
The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority Board of Directors approved Lake and Porter counties’ portion of the funding earlier this month.