South Shore’s Double Track finally arrives

The official dedication of the South Shore Line’s Double Track project Monday morning marked the realization of an objective desired in Northwest Indiana for decades.

It took the cooperative work of local, state and federal officials for the huge undertaking to become a reality.

The $650 million project – which took two years to complete – added a second rail for 18 miles out of the 26-mile stretch between Gary and Michigan City. There were also other improvements like the new Miller Station in Gary, 1,400 more parking spots including expansion of the lot at Dune Park, platforms at five stations and safety upgrades to rail crossings.

Many were on hand Monday at South Shore’s new Miller Station stop in Gary for the ceremony that featured Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb.

“Double tracking the South Shore Line is one of the largest infrastructure investments in the railroad’s history. With the additional track, high-speed crossovers and high-level boarding platforms now in place, we can deliver far superior commuter rail service to our riders with greater train frequency, better on-time performance and dramatically reduced times to and from Chicago,” Michael Noland, president of the South Shore Line.

All of the improvements will add up to reduced rail travel times for rail commuters to Chicago and a long-range boost for the economy of Northwest Indiana.

The South Shore Line on Tuesday May 14 added 14 more trains daily between Chicago and South Bend.

“One hundred years later, this Double Track Project will continue to transform Northwest Indiana for generations to come,” Gov. Holcomb said. “This gamechanging project is yet another example of how the State of Indiana continues to make targeted investments that attract talent and commercial investment that in turn helps our communities take it to their next level.”

Mike Smith, the Indiana Department of Transportation Commissioner, marveled that the $650 million project was finished “on time and on budget.”

Many cited the teamwork of local, state and federal officials for the project’s success.

Noland noted that former U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, years ago lobbied for the Double Track project, which was picked up by his successor. U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan (D-Highland).

“The success that we are recognizing today is the ideal model of what we can accomplish when all levels of government and community stakeholders collaborate for the long-term economic success of our communities,” Mrvan said. “Thank you to Governor Holcomb and all of our state and local leaders for your vision and commitment to improving our quality of place and attracting new businesses and economic activity to Northwest Indiana.”

The Double Track project received $173 million from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) New Starts program, $24 million in American Rescue Plan funding, which was matched by $340 million from the state. Local governments pitched in $80 million, and the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (South Shore) supplied $30 million.

“The level of coordination between the state and local governments along the corridor has been remarkable,” Senator Todd Young said. “When then-Secretary Elaine Chao joined me in visiting this project in 2017, it was clear to the entire U.S. Department of Transportation that this project would be a game-changer for the region. Countless individuals worked for decades to see the Double Track Project become a reality, and thousands of Hoosiers will benefit from their tireless commitment.”

Chesterton Council President James Ton (R-District 1), who attended Monday’s ceremony, noted that it was evident how this project showed how both political parties worked together to achieve a goal.

Another huge part of South Shore’s expansion is the $950 million West Lake Corridor plan, now under construction and expected to be finished next year.

The new service to Chicago would extend from Hammond south to the Indiana towns of Munster and Dyer.

Combined, the Double Track and West Lake Corridor projects are estimated to attract approximately $2.7 billion in private investment to Northwest Indiana, and result in more than 6,000 new jobs and $5 billion in economic impact by 2048. Nearly $800 million in economic development is already underway on both project corridors.