The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority on Thursday approved funds for one of the building blocks for the $12.6 million reconstruction of the main runway at Porter County Regional Airport.
The RDA board of directors approved a $317,197 grant for new runway lighting contingent on Porter County putting up the same amount.
The bulk of the runway reconstruction project is being paid for by the federal government, which is expected to chip in a total of $11.4 million. The state of Indiana is pitching in another $634,394.
The reconstruction of the airport's 7,000-foot main runway has already started and will continue through 2016, according to Airport Director Kyle Kuebler. The last full overlay paving of the runway was done in 1999, so the reconstruction will represent a huge upgrade for a runway that is longer than those at Midway International Airport, in Chicago.
The RDA also accepted for consideration a $12.9 million grant request from the city of East Chicago for a broad range of projects in and around its marina.
About $3.5 million of the money would be targeted toward dock replacements, utility upgrades and other projects at the marina, according to RDA Chief Operating Officer Sherri Ziller. Another $8.3 million will go for upgrades of Dickey Road, Guthrie Street and Michigan Avenue.
The new work is phase two of a project to improve East Chicago's lakefront and adjoining neighborhoods. The RDA granted $17.5 million almost two years ago for demolishing more than 300 derelict properties and work to improve Jeorse Park and other lakefront areas. Some of that work is still underway.
The RDA board on Thursday also approved submitting an application to win up to $42 million from the state's Regional Cities Initiative. The RDA's application is for double-tracking of the South Shore commuter rail line to cut train times into Chicago.