The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD), operator of the South Shore Line, today announced that they have filed applications with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) seeking project ratings for both the West Lake Corridor and South Shore Line’s Double Track projects. This infrastructure investment package totals over $977 million and represents the single largest investment in commuter rail in the South Shore’s history.
South Shore News
To accommodate passengers attending Chicago Bears REGULAR SEASON home games, the South Shore plans to stop select trains at 18th St. Station.
In addition to our regular service to Museum Campus/11th St., the following trains will serve 18th St. Station for regular season games:
To show appreciation and say thank you for their service to the community, the South Shore Line (SSL) is inviting all first responders to ride the train free of charge on Sunday, Sept. 10, through Saturday, Sept. 16, on off-peak weekday and all weekend trains.
Calling all Bank of America Chicago Marathon runners and observers: The South Shore Line invites you to leave your vehicle at one of our convenient stations in Indiana and take the South Shore Line to Chicago for all Bank of America Chicago Marathon events.
The South Shore Line and South Bend Public Transportation Corporation (Transpo) are pleased to announce that they will once again offer FREE shuttle bus service between the Airport and Notre Dame Stadium for this year’s home football schedule.
Jazz Fest August 31 to September 3
- August 31 and September 1: We will operate a weekday train schedule
- Bikes are permitted on WB Trains 6 and 106, and EB Trains 11 and 111
- Alcohol is prohibited on all trains after 7:00 pm. Glass bottles are prohibited at all times.
- September 2-3: We will operate a weekend/holiday train schedule
- Bikes are permitted on all bike rack equipped trains. For a list of weekend/holiday trains please click here
- Alcohol is prohibited on all trains. Glass bottles are prohibited at all times.
Changes to South Shore Eastbound Rush Hour Departure Times for Trains 117, 17 and 217 - Effective July 18, 2017
Based on the overwhelming reaction to the July 1 schedule change, the South Shore will be changing three popular trains to their pre-July 1 departure times from Millennium Station effective Tuesday, July 18. The departure times affect Trains 117, 17 and 217 and are highlighted in bold below. Click here for PDF version.
The South Shore Line and South Bend Public Transportation Corporation (Transpo) are pleased to announce that they will once again offer FREE shuttle bus service between the Airport and Notre Dame Stadium for this year’s home football schedule.
Hohman Ave. will close for reconstruction between Hoffman St. and Huehn St. in Hammond.
A 2.5% across the board capital fare increase approved by the NICTD Board last year will take effect on July 1. Click here for a complete list of new fares.
The South Shore Line weekday train schedule will change on July 1, 2017. The new schedule affects the following trains:
MERRILLVILLE — The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority on Thursday committed $3 million annually to the South Shore Line's Double Track project, part of a $290 million effort to add a second set of tracks between Gary and Michigan City and to shift the tracks out of the center of the street in the latter community. The allocation constitutes Lake and Porter counties' share of the project. The annual payment would continue for 30 years, unless the project's bonds are retired earlier. LaPorte County has decided to pay its share of the project upfront, as allowed by legislation enacted at this year's Indiana General Assembly, with an $18.25 million contribution from the county and Michigan City.
LAPORTE — LaPorte County government is paying its entire share of the cost for the proposed upgrades to the South Shore commuter line with cash up front, and Michigan City's $12.1 million share received preliminary approval this week. The estimated $290 million project still hinges on the federal government approving funding for one-half the entire cost. The LaPorte County Council unanimously decided Tuesday to take $5 million out of the county's major bridge fund and the remaining $1.1 million from the county's emergency reserve fund to cover its portion of the expense.
01 Jun 2017
South Bend, St. Joseph County will commit millions for faster South Shore ride to Chicago
St. Joseph County and South Bend have averaged modest population growth each of the past four years, but they’ve trailed the state of Indiana’s growth rate, according to recently released Census Bureau estimates. City, county and business leaders say they have a prime opportunity to change that by double-tracking part of the South Shore Line, which would eliminate the need for the passenger line to wait for oncoming freight trains, and realigning the South Shore’s approach to South Bend International Airport. They say the work, when finished in 2020, will reduce the South Bend-to-Chicago trip from its current 2.5 hours to 90 minutes, and possibly down to 75 minutes on a special limited-stop trip each weekday morning and evening.
About ten years ago I biked with a friend from Chicago to Hammond, Indiana—a 30-mile ride that was made especially easy by a strong tailwind. We could take the train back, my friend assured me, which was a relief because I'd been having knee problems and wasn't up for a return cycling trip. Unfortunately, she turned out to be wrong: when we wheeled into the station we found signs clearly stating that bikes were allowed on trains only if they were packed into boxes. The station didn't sell boxes, and even if it had, we didn't have the right tools with us to disassemble our bikes. It was a long trip back, riding into a wind that seemed to grow stronger with every turn of our pedals.
Commuters are the heart of its business, but the South Shore Line also likes to remind people that it offers more than rides to and from jobs in Chicago. "We're starting to increase our outreach to folks in South Bend and Chicago who want to spend some time in Northwest Indiana," said John Parsons, the railroad's vice president of planning and marketing. A free shuttle bus service between the South Shore's Miller station and the beaches in Gary's Miller section will begin on Saturday and continue on weekends through the summer. Also this summer, the railroad will promote Northwest Indiana as a camping destination for people from Chicago, and baseball fans can get half-price tickets to Gary South Shore RailCats home games.
Photos Credit: Ideas in Motion.
Created with flickr slideshow.
Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb traveled to Michigan City, Indiana to sign House Bill 1144, which establishes and permits the South Shore Line's main line double tracking and the West Lake Corridor improvement rail projects. See video below.
View the South Shore Line paintings for the 20th Anniversary of the "Just Around the Corner" South Shore Line posters at the Indiana Welcome Center, now through June 18.The Indiana Welcome Center is located at I-80/94 and Kennedy Avenue South in Hammond. Learn more at alongthesouthshore.com.
Story from NWI Times here.
The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) late last week unveiled modified station plans for the South Shore Line's West Lake Corridor project. The modifications include adding a layover facility at the future Hammond Gateway Station in Hammond, Ind. NICTD also moved the platform location and parking for the Munster Ridge Road Station in Munster, Ind.
MUNSTER — Gov. Eric Holcomb sees unlimited potential for business and residential growth in Northwest Indiana so long as leaders and communities continue working together. The Republican declared Thursday that no place in the state is as well positioned to attract the people and companies that are shaping the future, thanks to the Region's proximity to Chicago and its location in a state with low taxes and a low cost of living. "You're undoubtedly a powerhouse," Holcomb said. "I would love to bring 5 million Hoosiers up to the Region and show them the beaches, show them the scenery and show them how close to the world that their marketplace is."
CHESTERTON, Ind. – Riders of the South Shore Line (SSL) can now receive half-off Gary SouthShore RailCats home tickets during the 2017 baseball season. And, with the SSL’s Kids Ride Free program, which is offered year-round, America’s pastime is even more affordable.
PORTAGE — The biggest four-year transportation plan in Region history will be up for adoption next week by the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission. The commission's planning committee approved it Tuesday. The 2018-21 Transportation Improvement Program lists about 650 potential projects with a total estimated cost of almost $1.6 billion, NIRPC Transportation Projects Manager Gary Evers told the Technical Planning Committee. "This is the biggest TIP we've ever done. This is the big kahuna," Evers said.
INDIANAPOLIS — Gov. Eric Holcomb is eager to sign legislation funding the double-tracking of the South Shore Line between Gary and Michigan City. The Republican said Tuesday that he considers the $180 million Indiana will spend over the next 30 years to expand commuter rail service in the Region to be a vital investment in the state's future, as well as a top accomplishment of the 2017 General Assembly that adjourned Saturday. "This is not just about economic development, but equally importantly it's also about attracting talent from the nation's third biggest economy in Chicago and getting folks to move to this side of the border," Holcomb said.
The train that runs along the lakefront is not just for commuters. Of the 18 regular stops on the South Shore Line (NICTD) there are many destinations walking distance from the station. This series suggests trips worth the fare. Check out the link below for a slideshow of these excursions! To find out more how you can plan your SSL trip, click here.
CHESTERTON, Ind. – Now you can ride your bike to work from the train station! The South Shore Line’s (SSL) Bikes on Trains program is now being offered on two morning and evening rush-hour weekday trains in addition to select weekend trains. Bike cars will be available on select weekend/holiday and select weekday trains from April through October.
PORTAGE — The South Shore Line's major expansion projects are the subject of a Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission public comment period that will culminate with votes on adding the projects to the Region's official transportation planning documents.
MERRILLVILLE — The Regional Development Authority board of directors entered into contracts Thursday with the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District to fund ongoing engineering and environmental work on the West Lake Corridor and Double Track NWI projects.
Since the South Shore has discontinued the use of text messaging as a way to communicate information regarding service delays and other service announcements, we would like to offer a solution that will allow you to still receive these alerts in conjunction with your email. Find how by reading more:
Alcohol is not permitted on South Shore trains during the following events in Chicago:
Bikes on Trains starts back up on April 1, 2017! Check out our new Bike Brochure here for updated schedules. Now you can bike to work! We added two (2) EB and two (2) WB bikes trains during rush hour! Make sure to check out the train times in the brochure or below!
The South Shore Line is committed to providing our riders with clear, timely and accurate information on the status of our service. This includes letting you know when we don’t know the length of a delay or service disruption.
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana House overwhelmingly approved Thursday a first-of-its-kind plan for coordinated transit-oriented development near stations along the current and future routes of the South Shore Line.
House Bill 1144, which now goes to the Senate, puts the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority in charge of promoting and managing commercial and residential investment within Transit Development Districts, or TDD for short, centered on at least eight rail stops. State Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville, the sponsor, said allowing the RDA to use increment financing to develop areas within a mile of the stations will ensure the Region and state get the biggest possible bang for their bucks spent to double-track the South Shore between Gary and Michigan City and extend the commuter rail line from Hammond to Dyer.
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.
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.
The proposed West Lake Corridor could do more than expand the South Shore Line's commuter service. Planners believe it also would prompt new development – including housing, shopping and leisure -- around the four proposed rail stations on West Lake's route from Hammond to Dyer.
One of the most common arguments I hear against extending commuter rail service in Northwest Indiana is that if it hasn’t helped the northern tier communities along the existing route, so it won’t help those along the new route. I can’t disagree more with this reasoning. Northwest Indiana is something of an anomaly when it comes to commuter rail service. All it takes to see this is to look at the entire Chicago metro area, not just our sliver of it.The rail lines in Illinois snake out into thriving suburbs. Take a trip to Naperville if you want a good example of what can come from investing in commuter rail service. Naperville is about 30 miles from Chicago. Metra serves Naperville through the Burlington Northern Santa Fe route. The city has two train stations.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A state lawmaker is pushing for transit-oriented development projects in northwest Indiana. Rep. Hal Slager, a Republican from Schererville, is sponsoring a bill that would create a Sales Tax Increment Financing district within a half-mile of the tracks of the current South Shore rail.
January 12, 2017
To Our Valued Riders:
I would like to begin by extending my sincerest apology to everyone that was affected by today’s service disruption.
Download attachments:
The NICTD Board unanimously approved a resolution today endorsing the Hammond Alternative Option 2 as the staff recommended Locally Preferred Alternative subject to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) public review period commencing on December 16, 2016 and ending on February 3, 2017. To review the DEIS or to learn more about the comment process visit the West Lake Project website at http://www.nictdwestlake.com/index.html
15 Dec 2016
WEST LAKE CORRIDOR PROJECT DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND SCHEDULES FOR THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS
The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) as project sponsor to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and Section 4 (f) Evaluation pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act for the West Lake Corridor Project.
The DEIS evaluated an extension of the South Shore Line between the Munster/Dyer area and Metra’s Millennium Station in Downtown Chicago. The DEIS documents the benefits and impacts of the alternatives considered and is available on the Project website www.nictdwestlake.com for public comment and review, from December 16, 2016 to February 3, 2017.
Certain changes had to be made with regard to the radio frequency used for our free on board WiFi.
You can find the full NICTD Strategic Business Plan here.