The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority on Tuesday gave regional bus service a push forward by agreeing to provide $6.5 million to take commuters to Chicago and establish a central dispatch center for city bus lines.
"This is a proposal to get started," said Stephen Adik, who presented the plan for the Regional Bus Authority. "It doesn't make sense to wait two or three years for permanent funding when there are things we can do today."
Minutes after Adik spoke, the RDA voted 7-0 to approve a two-year plan that proponents hope will lead to one regional bus service in Northwest Indiana similar to PACE in Chicago's south suburbs.
The RDA funding will be used to secure up to $8.5 million in federal money, according to the plan presented Tuesday.
The RBA also will take over two of Gary Public Transportation Corp.'s busiest routes, one of which spans Gary, East Chicago and Hammond and a second route that runs from Gary's Metro Center along Broadway to Merrillville and Crown Point.
The plan is a scaled-back version of one the RBA wanted to fund with a local food and beverage tax, which ran into opposition this spring in Lake and Porter counties.
But even with the shortcomings, the plan will be the first RDA-funded project to actually move people, if commuter bus service gets under way next year as planned. The RDA and RBA still must draw up a funding contract.
Proponents and RDA members on Tuesday acknowledged the lack of long-term funding leaves a huge gap in any plan for regional bus service.
"It becomes incumbent on the RBA to demonstrate that need to local and county officials," RDA member Harley Snyder said.
The RDA-approved plan also scratched a three-fold increase in on-demand services provided under a previous scenario. Those services, run by social service agencies in Lake and Porter counties, may be able to buy some equipment through the RBA and make use of the call center.
Valparaiso plans to start its own city bus service and commuter buses to Chicago's Loop as soon as this year. It already has secured federal money to fund up to 80 percent of the costs.
City officials have said they will not be participating in the RBA plan at this time, because they have the ability and the money to start now.
Former Merrillville town Councilwoman Anne Collins wanted to know how the RDA will keep track of the money the RBA receives.
RBA Chairman Dennis Rittenmeyer said the RBA, RDA and individual bus companies will have oversight of how money is spent.
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