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[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=39824.82

17 crossings may be eliminated
The NICTD preliminary concept for rerouting the South Shore through Michigan City eliminates 17 of the current 34 street crossings. The 17 intersections are marked on the preliminary concept for the South Shore relocation. While the crossing at Washington Street is not Xed out, that is the proposed location for a new train station. Based on the plan, the following crossings would be closed:

Carlon Court and adjacent alley, Donnelly Street and adjacent alley, Claire Street, Kentucky Street, Tennessee Street, Elston Street, Manhattan Street, Buffalo Street, Spring Street, Cedar Street, Lafayette Street, York Street, Oak Street, Maple Street and Phillips Avenue.
More South Shore details released

Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - Property owners with parcels south of current South Shore tracks on 10th and 11th streets await an uncertain future until plans for realigning the commuter train are adopted.

The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District operates the South Shore and announced last week it intends to significantly re-configure more than two miles of track running through Michigan City. NICTD's preliminary downtown rerouting concept, developed by TranSystems of Chicago, shows the tracks heading south of 10th Street at Sheridan Avenue and proceeding through town to a point just east of Michigan Boulevard, where the regular route resumes.

John Parsons, NICTD spokesperson, said properties north of 11th Street will not be affected. He said the specific houses and properties that would be impacted by the change have not yet been identified. He said the project, estimated at $65 million, has been developed at a "gross level of detail" and changes could be made as the engineering process moves forward.

A map labeled "Preliminary Downtown Reroute Concept" shows a South Shore station and 775-space parking area between Franklin and Wabash streets and from Warren Street north to 11th Street. The map includes station information that lists the current 11th Street parking lot at 42 spaces and the Carroll Avenue station at 155 spaces. Those stations would be replaced with the new downtown station.

The new route is designed to eliminate the curve between 10th and 11th streets near the Amtrak intersection, and also remove the curve at Cedar and Lafayette streets. As now indicated on the map, the tracks run parallel but one row of houses south of the existing 11th street tracks between Kentucky Street and Michigan Boulevard.

At Sheridan Avenue, looking east, the proposed route angles to the right, eventually running well behind the houses on the south side of 10th Street and linking directly with the portion of track that would be just south of 11th Street.

Chicago Street would be rerouted, but it would retain a crossing of the South Shore tracks.

Depending on funding and station design, Parsons said a parking ramp could be constructed, allowing for private developers to create an activity center in the areas surrounding the station.

An environmental impact statement will be required before property can be purchased, Parsons said.

"An environmental impact statement and public hearing are required as part of the process," he said. "The specifics will follow as part of the on-going process to qualify for federal funding."

NICTD has yet to obtain funding for the detailed engineering plan that comes next, Parsons said.

Michigan City Mayor Chuck Oberlie has reviewed the NICTD preliminary downtown route and will present the plan to the City Council for its approval. Parsons expects some issues to be raised by the council at that point.

"We certainly want to develop a plan in concert with Michigan City that meets their needs," Parsons said.

Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.

[Dave]

As for the format of the workshop, all I can say is that I don't operate optimally in that kind of format. I grouped with the people concerned about Historic Preservation, as that's sort of my thing at the moment.

One point that has to be made is that this presentation was NOT presented by NICTD. The workshop was presented by Mr. Sirota on behalf of the city, and the NITCD officials weren't there to answer questions, but rather to listen to what people were saying. More on this anon*.

As for NICTD's proposal, essentially it involves moving the tracks about 50 feet south for most of the length of 11th street. While I can see from the map (which does not appear to be available online, at least I couldn't find it), it would involve demolition of what could easily be the maximum possible number of homes and other buildings, including a church, which strikes me as being unnecessary. If NICTD's concern is getting the tracks out of the asphalt, one would think that by essentially giving them 11th street so they could remove the asphalt, that would solve the problem.

However, as far as I can tell, if they are going to tear out a new right of way fifty feet south of 11th, they no longer need 11th street, so why close it? The issues involved in closing some grade crossings would remain, but if they aren't going to run in 11th, what do they need it for?

NICTD seems to want to remove a couple of curves that reduce train speed through town, which could explain their desire for the new track route. Of course they could be looking at the issue strickly as engineers, who very well might want to run the rails in as straight a line as possible, ignoring the toll it would have on the city. They also proposed sacrificing at least two entire city blocks downtown to street level parking, which I have on some authority would be a deal breaker from the city government's point of view (thank god! It would look the the asphalt lake at East Chicago.)

*After looking at the "preliminary proposal" for a while, and unfortunately after the session was over, I had the thought that the "preliminary proposal" may very well be something somewhat different than what I initially thought it was. This may very well be due to the simple fact that I have grown over the years to be suspicious, but bear with me for my thought process a bit.

When entering into a negotiation (which is what this whole matter really is), different entities have different approaches. If I want A, B, and C, I normally say "I want A, B, and C," make my case, and if the other party doesn't agree, I endeavor to make them see the sweet right of reason (as I always take reasonable positions ). A different approach taken by some folks who desire A, B, and C, is to say, "I want A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K L, M, and N," figuring they can back off on D through N and still get what they want. One example of this most people can identify with is buying a car -- the dealer's first price isn't generally his bottom line, it's just the point where he starts from.

My perception is that NICTD's "preliminary proposal" is their A though N, their beginning bargaining position. Supposedly their main concern isn't straightening out curves, but meeting federal guidelines for what's referred to as "positive track control," a safety system which entails sending electronic signals though the rails to determine where the trains are exactly at all times, which I have been told is very difficult if not impossible to do with rails buried in asphalt in our climate (snow, salt, rain, etc., causing problems with the signaling.) Essentially giving them 11th street so they could tear up the asphalt encasing the rails presumably would cure the "positive track control" issue, but they may be approaching this negotiation with additional items on their wish list so they can give up the additional items and appear to be bargaining in good faith.

I might be overly suspicious of the motives of NICTD, but these are the same folks who said a couple of years back that the move to Ame's Field was a "done deal," so I don't think that viewing their initial "proposal" skeptically is out of line.

[Dennis Miller] ...of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. [/Dennis Miller]

This post has been edited by Dave: Jul 31 2009, 03:05 PM