Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA) is helping to further develop the Region through its work with the upcoming South Shore Line improvements. In conjunction with funding partners – the Federal Transit Administration, Michigan City and La Porte County, South Bend and St. Joseph County, and the Indiana Finance Authority – the projects will establish a double track on the South Shore Line as well as a West Lake Corridor, which will provide stations and services to Hammond, Munster, and Dyer.
One of the positives of these projects is that they will allow Northwest Indiana residents to have easier access to higher-paying jobs in Chicago.
“We want to make it possible for people to live in Northwest Indiana but still have access to good-paying jobs in Chicago. It's a terrific opportunity and the jobs there pay upwards of 40% more in some cases,” said Dave Wellman, director of communications for RDA.
The easier access to Chicago jobs will also help Northwest Indiana’s population to grow.
“One of the things we want to see is bringing new people into Northwest Indiana, so you want to grow your population. One of the challenges the Region has had is that it loses people. That’s a statewide issue as well,” Wellman said.
More residents mean more income, giving the Region an economic boost in a variety of ways.
“All the money that is earned by people who work in Chicago but live in Northwest Indiana is money they will bring back and spend here, and that, in turn, creates job opportunities here in Northwest Indiana,” Wellman said. “Because now you have more people, businesses are getting busier, people will start new businesses, and people will need places to live, so construction will start on houses, condos, and more. That’s the kind of thing we’re hoping to see happen over the next couple of decades.”
RDA’s role in the project is to develop the areas surrounding both the new and existing train stations in an effort to boost the local economy.
“Essentially, we’ll create an area of about a half-mile around each of these stations. And from that area, we’ll be able to collect some incremental income tax and property tax,” Wellman said. “Then we’ll be able to use that funding to do infrastructure improvements, to help pay for things like sidewalks and sewers, as well as developer incentives if necessary.”
In addition to improved stations, RDA will also help to bring in businesses around these stations that will benefit the Northwest Indiana community.
“It’s basically just to jumpstart development around these stations; we’re projecting an excess of around $2 billion over the next 20 years,” Wellman said.
The upcoming projects – in the long run – will benefit all citizens of Northwest Indiana.
“It's here to create opportunity for you, for your kids, and for families by increasing our connectivity to one of the biggest economic markets on the planet: Chicago,” said Wellman.
For more information on RDA and its work, visit its Transit Development District website at www.nwitdd.com.
