[Southsider2k12]

http://www.nwitimes.com/business/transport...1fcc168f39.html

South Shore stuck with $100,000 tab for NATO weekend
By Keith Benman keith.benman@nwi.com

The NATO summit will cost South Shore operator Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District about $100,000 when all bills and losses are tallied.

On Friday, NICTD General Manager Gerald Hanas told his board of trustees 103 police officers hired to provide security cost $55,605 and the commuter railroad lost about $23,000 in fares due to reduced ridership May 19 to 21.

"It was a pretty smooth operation given the complexity of it," Hanas said. "But financially, it was pretty harmful to the railroad."

When other costs are tallied up, the total cost to the railroad could surpass $100,000, Hanas said. NICTD is looking to see if it can apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency funds or some other source to pay at least part of the bill.

There were no arrests made by NICTD police or the extra officers hired for security, with protesters taking South Shore trains to and from the NATO protests generally behaving well, said NICTD Police Chief Robert Byrd.

NICTD's security emphasis was on preventing any terrorists acts, with South Shore trains passing directly under where world leaders had gathered at McCormick Place, Byrd said.

In all, officers from 25 local police agencies from Mishawaka to Hammond helped provide security, as well as the Indiana Department of Homeland Security District 1 Strike Team, U.S. Transportation Security Administration and other agencies.

The NICTD board on Friday also passed two multi-million dollar, five-year agreements with Metra for trackage rights and services it provides to Illinois passengers.

Under the two contracts, NICTD will pay Metra $6.2 million in 2012 for trackage rights and services provided along 14 miles of Metra tracks used by South Shore trains on their way to Millenium station. That amount graduates to $7 million by 2016.

In turn, Metra will pay NICTD $3.7 million per year through 2016 for services NICTD provides to Illinois residents, including maintenance at the Hegewisch station.

A new way of calculating cost per passenger led to about a $400,000 drop in what Metra pays NICTD under the services agreement, Hanas said.

The NICTD board approved the designing of high-level boarding platforms at the Dune Park station, where Friday's meeting took place. Those platforms could cut up to 3 minutes off the Chicago travel time and would be a huge help in assisting passengers using wheelchairs, NICTD engineer Chris Beck told the board.

Construction could begin in 2013 and would include improving motor vehicle access at the station, Beck said. URS Corp., of Chicago, will be the design contractor for an amount not to exceed $415,000.

The board also approved the hiring of designers for two bridge replacement projects. DLZ, of Indianapolis, won the design contract for replacing a more than 100-year-old bridge over Trail Creek, in Michigan City, at a cost not to exceed $385,000. RW Armstrong, of Indianapolis, won the contract to design a bridge to replace one over a small roadway in Hudson Lake at a cost not to exceed $540,000.

Hanas reported a joint NICTD/Michigan City committee studying a new route for the South Shore in the city has dropped a controversial plan to move current tracks slightly southward along 10th and 11th streets. The plan would have necessitated taking homes along the route.

The committee has now turned its attention to the two remaining options, a more northerly route passing through the heart of downtown and a more southerly route utilizing freight right-of-way belonging to the CSX railroad.

Average ridership on the South Shore has increased 2.7 percent since the beginning of the year, due to the improving economy, according to NICTD Planning and Marketing Director John Parsons. The railroad is restoring a weekend/holiday red-eye train to its schedule which was dropped in February. It will depart Chicago at 11:15 p.m. and arrive in South Bend at 2:46 a.m.

[Dave]

Talk about burying the lead!!!!

Hanas reported a joint NICTD/Michigan City committee studying a new route for the South Shore in the city has dropped a controversial plan to move current tracks slightly southward along 10th and 11th streets. The plan would have necessitated taking homes along the route.

The committee has now turned its attention to the two remaining options, a more northerly route passing through the heart of downtown and a more southerly route utilizing freight right-of-way belonging to the CSX railroad.

Do any of our CBTL folks have any idea what the two alternatives are? The southern route no doubt is the one that would go past Ames Field, but I'm not clear on the one that would "pass through the heart of downtown" unless that's the current route.

Is the northern route the one that replaces the swing bridge with a new bridge that would have cost $400 million four years ago? I still presume the southern route is the one that would have cost over $60 million six years ago.

I wonder if the NICTD directors, officers, and employees are going to be happy when the governmental units they approach for all that money laugh in their faces and say, "Gee, you need all that money to do maintainence on your little railroad that has how much ridership? You folks need to be looking for different jobs."

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.chestertontribune.com/Northwest...or_dune_par.htm

By PAULENE POPARAD

South Shore officials approved a not-to-exceed $415,000 contract Friday with URS Corp. of Chicago to design a high-boarding platform at Dune Park Station that will cut dwell time and improve passenger access. Actual platform construction is expected to take place in 2013 and cost about $3 million.

Railroad officials are considering building a pedestrian walkway through the woods from the east parking lot to the new boarding platform so passengers don’t have to walk along an access road.

In addition, staff are considering proposed changes to Dune Park’s designated one-way east entrance making it an exit onto U.S. 12 also.

Chris Beck of the railroad’s Engineering Department told directors of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District that Dune Park is the South Shore’s busiest station without a high-level boarding platform. Per weekday more than 500 passengers board there and about 700 during the summer.

The new, canopied platform would extend from the station at the same elevation north to the train tracks; all train doors would open; long lines waiting to climb steps would be eliminated; and those with strollers, luggage or in wheelchairs will have easier access. Instead of taking three or four minutes for a typical train to board (seven minutes if using a wheelchair lift), passengers should be on their way in about 45 seconds.

Dune Park, built in 1985, is based on historic South Shore station architecture. URS Corp. plans to consult the original Dune Park architect on the boarding platform design.

Regarding two bridge projects, the NICTD board approved maximum contracts of $385,000 with DLZ of South Bend to design a new Trail Creek bridge, and $540,000 with R.W. Armstrong of South Bend to design a wider Lake Park Bridge with improved clearances on the south side of Hudson Lake.

NATO’S gain NICTD’s loss

NICTD general manager Gerald Hanas said the South Shore lost more than $100,000 due to the May 20-21 NATO summit in Chicago. The railroad is attempting to seek reimbursement.

NICTD had 52 percent fewer passengers riding Friday through Monday of the summit resulting in a $23,000 loss on one-way ticket sales; NICTD also had to hire 103 part-time police officers from 25 area police agencies at a cost of $55,605.

Certain South Shore stops and Metra stations in Illinois were closed by order of federal agencies for the protection of world leaders attending the summit. NICTD canceled 11 trains on Monday and what trains that did run had to have extra security on board and at stations.

Hanas thanked both NICTD transit police chief Bob Byrd for his leadership that resulted in no trains being rejected, and South Shore passengers for their cooperation. During public comment South Shore rider Bernie Holicky of Chesterton told the board, “I give them an A+” for the way NICTD handled the situation.

New METRA agreement OK’d

NICTD directors approved a new five-year agreement with Metra allowing South Shore passenger trains the right to use 14 miles of Metra’s trackage and facilities in Illinois including downtown Millennium Station.

NICTD’s payment to Metra for 2012 is $6.2 million and increases annually to $7 million by 2016.

Directors also approved a new pact with Metra to reimburse the South Shore for carrying passengers boarding at the Hegewisch Station in Illinois; the cost to Metra is $3.7 million per year through 2016, about $500,000 less than before.

In other business, Hanas presented details of an ongoing study to relocate the South Shore’s tracks off city streets and onto a new route through Michigan City. Two options remain viable and railroad management is working with city officials to coordinate economic development and construction of a modern NICTD station there as part of the relocation.

Tracey McElree of AC Incorporated of Valparaiso updated board members on the South Shore’s web-based marketing campaign informing passengers how to ride, what to expect, train schedules and how to get to destination attractions. McElree said 39,884 people have visited the site, and 3,343 riders communicate monthly using Twitter and Facebook.

NICTD director of marketing and planning John Parsons reported total passengers through May topped 1.5 million this year, a 2.7 percent increase despite the four-day NATO summit interruptions. Strongest ridership increase was in off-peak travel, up 4.9 percent.

[Southsider2k12]

How does it take four days for the ND to report what is happening in our town? Come on guys.

http://www.thenewsdispatch.com/articles/20...de040028473.txt

NICTD takes one South Shore option off the table

By Lois Tomaszewski
Staff Writer
Published: Tuesday, June 5, 2012 5:06 PM CDT
MICHIGAN CITY — One of the three locations proposed for a realigned South Shore line passenger service in Michigan City is off the table, after the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District Board meeting Friday.

NICTD general manager Gerry Hanas said a suggestion to move the current 11th Street tracks slightly south along 10th and 11th streets has been abandoned. This proposal would have required the South Shore Line to purchase homes along the route to make way for a new station and multiple tracks.

"Board members felt this option was too disruptive to the neighborhood," Hanas said. "This option has been removed from consideration."

Board members remain undecided over which of the other two remaining potential routes are the best for meeting the realignment criteria that has been part of the planning process since 2009, Hanas said. Board members from the South Bend area are favoring an option that will put the service on CSX tracks in the southern end of Michigan City. Access to the CSX track would occur on the east at Karwick Park and on the west end via a new right of way to Ohio Street.

*
The benefits of this option, include higher speeds and faster times, Hanas said.

The second option still under consideration would move rail-line access to the north end of the city. In this option, the South Shore Line would utilize Amtrak tracks near Wabash Street. As many as five possible routes from the Amtrak line are proposed. These considerations include the best way to cross Trail Creek, where to link to existing South Shore line tracks on the east side of town and other considerations, Hanas said.

Hanas said the second option appeals to Michigan City board members who see it as an asset to economic development. "The city wants to maximize economic development and the most effective way to achieve this is with some form of a northern route through Michigan City," Hanas said.

Both of these options still require extensive study and research, including whether a railroad crossing may impede boat traffic on Trail Creek, the best location for the preferred high platform train station and the possible closing of a few streets.

Hanas anticipates several more months of research may be necessary before the board will finalize plans. Additional opportunities for public comment will be scheduled in the future, he said.

The proposed realignment of South Shore line service through Michigan City is expected to cost somewhere between $82 and $268 million, according to the project's hired consulting firm. Instead of two Michigan City stops, the realigned service would have a single stop, replacing both the 11th Street and the Carroll Avenue stops for a new station location.

In other action, the board awarded a contract for the design and engineering of a single-track replacement bridge over Trail Creek. The 100-year-old bridge abutments are constantly being repaired, Hanas said. Instead of continuing to put money into fixing an ongoing problem, the board has opted to replace the bridge.

"Some of the soils under the abutments are not as stable as thought when the bridge was built," Hanas said.

Engineering firm DLZ with offices in South Bend was awarded the project. Hanas said the design phase is not expected to cost more than $385,000.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2012/0...24230652546.txt

Meer discusses NICTD realignment options

By Lois Tomaszewski
Staff Writer
Published: Thursday, June 7, 2012 5:07 PM CDT
MICHIGAN CITY — The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) board’s decision to eliminate one of three locations for a realigned commuter train service between South Bend and Chicago makes the pending decision a choice between the north and the south ends of town. It is a choice that could impact Michigan City’s economic development future, officials said.

The decision rests with the NICTD board, which has been holding public meetings and providing public access to the plans and associated reports since 2009. Mayor Ron Meer said the criteria that will be used in the decisions is likely skewed depending on whose interests are at stake.

“The railroad has their criteria,” Meer said. “As city officials, we have our criteria. These clash sometimes.”

Last Friday, the NICTD board decided to eliminate a third option for realigned service. This option would have required the removal of several homes along the 10th/11th street corridor to accommodate a multi-track, high platform station.

The South Shore line currently picks up and discharges several hundred passengers per year at the 11th Street stop between Franklin and Pine streets, and about the same number of passengers at the Carroll Street station. These two stops would be eliminated in favor of one central high platform station, with parking to accommodate.

The south end option would see the South Shore line using the CSX freight tracks from Ohio Street to Karwick Park, with a proposed station location just west of Ames Field. Several variations are under consideration for the north end access plan. These would utilize the Amtrak tracks and, in one variation, place a station not far off of U.S. Highway 12, with access to Washington Park, the outlet mall, the library, museums and the Uptown Arts District.

Meer said the northern route seems to present the best potential in terms of economic development. But, there are important considerations, many of which will depend on which variation the railroad decides to approve. The city’s concern is to make sure the station will not impede access to the lakefront.

“We don’t want too much of an obstruction to the route,” Meer said. “There are not as many variables as the southern option. If it is moved into the north end it has to be done with all consideration given to the city’s criteria.”

Meer said the city would also want to look at providing another gateway to Washington Park off of U.S. 12.

But not everyone is ready to voice their opinion on which of the two existing options would be best.

“The Michigan City Economic Development Corporation has not taken a position on a new location for the NICTD tracks,” director Kevin Kieft said. “I believe that the groups making the decision will carefully consider the potential impacts of either location and choose what benefits Michigan City best.”

The project could cost $268 million, depending on the option that the NICTD board chooses. The southern location could cost $223 million, with the northern location cost ranging from $93 million to $205 million.