South Shore Line riders could see new rail cars and more transit-oriented development in the future. The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District Board has approved a 20-year strategic business plan.
While its 2014 plan focused on big projects, like Double Track and West Lake, the new one looks at safety, reliability and service growth, according to NICTD’s Kelly Wenger. “Well, we built it. Now, let’s get them to come,” Wenger told board members Monday.
That could involve adjusting schedules to reflect post-pandemic travel patterns. While weekend ridership is almost back to 2019 levels, weekday rush-hour ridership is still down 43 percent.
The plan also suggests partnering with communities to create new destinations. Wenger pointed to residential and retail development in Michigan City.
“Historically, we’ve been ‘Pickup in Indiana. Take them to Chicago. Pickup in Chicago. Bring them back home.’ It’s ‘Pick them up from wherever and deliver them to all of these different spots along the rail line,’” Wenger said.
NICTD officials said they’re also looking at adding more direct trains from the new Monon Corridor to Chicago. Currently, off-peak and weekend service is largely limited to shuttles between Dyer and Hammond.
Still, the new plan does include some capital projects.
The South Shore Line is still seeking federal funding for a shorter route to South Bend International Airport. NICTD President David Dech said the railroad has applied for three federal grants.
"The Road Crossing Elimination Grant is a really, really good prospect for this one, so we’re optimistic," Dech told board members. "We’ve got our lobbyist in Washington working on that. We’ve got a lot of help working on that, and we’re excited about it."
Wenger said the South Shore Line also needs new rail cars, with 68 reaching the end of their lifespan in the next nine years. “There’s no lot out there. We can’t just go, like, kick the tires and buy them, so we have to be proactive in engineering and making a purchase,” Wenger added.
She said the strategic plan identifies various needs, so the South Shore Line is ready to capitalize on funding opportunities that may become available.
