The Indiana chapter of the American Planning Association has selected the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority’s comprehensive strategic plan update as its 2017 Outstanding Transportation Plan Award winner.
The updated focused on commuter rail expansion in Northwest Indiana and outlined plans for transit oriented development over the next two decades.
“It was a very thorough plan that did a good job of showing future investment,” said Lisa Dunaway, Instructor of Urban Planning at Ball State University and chair of this year’s awards committee. “It is a holistic plan that includes short and long-term implementation steps. We felt it could be a very good model to be replicated by other groups.”
“We are honored to be recognized by the Indiana chapter of the American Planning Association,” says RDA President and CEO Bill Hanna. “This award reflects the commitment of our staff and our partners at American Structurepoint and Policy Analytics to bringing transformational change to Northwest Indiana. Commuter rail expansion will bring thousands of new jobs and billions in private investment to the region, and this plan will ensure that we maximize those investments to make Northwest Indiana the leading area for economic growth in the state.”
Rail expansion in Northwest Indiana is projected to attract an estimated 11,000 new residents and about $1.9 billion in private investment over the next 20 years. For details, download the RDA’s updated plan at: http://www.in.gov/rda/files/RDA_Compr_hensive_Strategic_Plan.pdf
