West Lake, Double Track Projects Take Step Forward
(Image courtesy of Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District’s board of trustees has approved resolutions authorizing South Shore administrators to purchase properties for the double tracking and West Lake Corridor projects. Our partners at The Times of Northwest Indiana report South Shore will wait for the Federal Transit Administration to advance the projects before making any purchases.
The publication reports the administration is expected to move the projects to the engineering phase this fall. Environmental studies are expected to be complete by early winter.
The $290 million double tracking project aims to reduce the travel time from South Bend to Chicago on the South Shore Line. That project would require the purchase of properties in Gary and Michigan City. Last month, the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners approved an agreement to invest more than $18 million in the project. The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority has approved an annual commitment of up to $3 million over the next 30 years to support the project. You can find more information on the project by clicking here.
The West Lake Corridor Project involves an eight-mile extension of the South Shore Line between Dyer and Hammond. The stretch would ultimately connect with the existing South Shore Line and the Metra Electric District’s line to the north. The proposal would provide transit service between Dyer and downtown Chicago. The project, which includes the addition of a Gateway Station in north Hammond, could cost more than $600 million. You can find more on the project by clicking here.