By Marilyn Odendahl, Truth Staff
CHESTERTON-- A proposed expansion of the South Shore Line railroad could bring 8,000 new jobs and a $227 million increase in disposable income to northwest Indiana, according to a study prepared for the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District.
The study, conducted by Policy Analytics LLC of Indianapolis, examined the possibility of putting additional rail lines to Lowell and Valparaiso.
John Parsons, spokesman for NICTD, emphasized the study is only one step in a long process that involves heavy regulation from the federal government.
"This is the front end of a complex process that may eventually lead to a commuter rail," he said.
Still, adding more options to the South Shore is the second major announcement NICTD has made this year. The first was the possibility of purchasing new rail cars, some of which could be double-decker cars.
Parsons noted the expansion project has been going on since the early 1990s but it seems to be gathering momentum, especially considering that rising gasoline prices and the start of major construction on the Dan Ryan Expressway in Chicago are putting more passengers on the South Shore.
When the 8:55 a.m. train pulls out of South Bend Regional Airport, it is already laden with 500 travelers and by the time it enters Chicago, it is carrying 1,100.
Jobs are the primary reasons for the expansion. A 2004 survey of South Shore riders found they were bringing $225 million to the regional economy from their jobs in Chicago.
Consequently, the additional rail would enable more people to access jobs in Chicago and boost the Indiana economy, Parsons said.
For the communities of Lowell and Valparaiso and the towns nearby, the study shows that by easing congestion, the area could see an estimated $800 million increase in yearly output along with the added disposable income and jobs.
Describing congestion as a "hidden tax," Bill Sheldrake, president of Policy Analytics, said reducing traffic will reduce inefficiencies, leading to a "lowering of production costs and an increase in investment." This, in turn, will create more jobs.
Also the intangibles, such as quality of life and leisure time, also would increase because people will be spending less time sitting in their vehicles.
"...when you really add to the capacity of the transportation of the area, it has a very powerful impact," Sheldrake said, noting some of that impact will be felt in Elkhart County.
The NICTD is hoping to determine this year where the additional rail service will go, whether to Lowell or Valparaiso or both communities. Those communities were chosen as possibilities because they are within commuting distance for employees who work in Chicago, said Parsons.
"In northwest Indiana we have to do everything we can to optimize the transportation network," Parsons said.