BY CHARLES M. BARTHOLOMEW, Post-Tribune
The final figures for South Shore ridership in 2006 come as no surprise to commuters who regularly experience standing-room-only conditions on half of the railroad's weekday rush-hour trains.
And relief is almost two years away, regional transportation planners say.
South Shore grant writer Joe Crnkovich told the Transportation Policy Committee of the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission that the line carried 4,208,185 passengers last year.
"That's a 10.6 percent increase over 2005 and the most since 1957, just before the opening of the Chicago Skyway," he said.
Looking ahead to further ridership growth in 2007, Crnkovich said, "If we have even half that increase this year, it will be more than ever before except for the wartime (World War II) years."
Fares are scheduled to go up again in July by another 2 percent.
The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District hopes to place a 14-car order with an option to buy six more from Sumitomo Corp. of Japan at a cost of $45 million to $49 million. But no order has been made yet.
"It will depend if we can find funding for them all. The Regional Development Authority has been most helpful," Crnkovich said.
A funding package with a proposal for using some of the government money the South Shore gets each year to cover other expenses is awaiting federal approval.