South Shore plan lists $1.16 billion in upgrades

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MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (AP) — A blueprint for expanding and
improving the South Shore commuter rail line released Wednesday calls
for $1.16 billion in new investments for a southward spur and station
and track upgrades.
The southward extension from Hammond to the
town of Dyer, a community near the Indiana-Illinois border, would cost a
projected $571 million and draw 5,600 riders per day, according to the
plan.
The plan for the line’s next 20 years calls for about $591
million to be invested in station and track improvements on the existing
line, which would significantly reduce travel times between South Bend
and Chicago, The (Munster) Times reported (http://bit.ly/1tQRrWc ).
The
extension and improvements on the existing line connecting South Bend
and Chicago were essential to the railroad’s health and should be done
in tandem, officials said.
"This is clearly a case where a rising
tide lifts all boats," said Bill Hanna, CEO of the Northwest Indiana
Regional Development Authority, which split the $550,000 cost of the
strategic plan with the railroad’s operator, the Northern Indiana
Commuter Transportation District.
Benefits include the creation of
nearly 2,000 new jobs and an increase of $2.5 billion in annual
regional economic output by 2033, according to the plan.
U.S. Rep.
Pete Visclosky has promoted the South Shore extension to Dyer, and
eventually to Lowell and Valparaiso, as the best chance for reviving the
region’s economy by connecting more people with high-paying jobs in
Chicago.
The regional development authority has pledged $8 million per year for the life of the Dyer extension.

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