Expressway to messway to railway in Northwest Indiana

The cry "all aboard!" may soon be sounding all too literal for South Shore train commuters.

Rail riders are expected to be joined by an unknown number of commuters parking their cars when the Dan Ryan Expressway becomes the Dan Ryan Messway with the start of construction after rush hour on Friday.

"It's going to be crowded," said South Shore spokesman John Parsons.

Lansing resident Patrick Hall, who works as a customer service representative on Chicago's North Side, plans to take the train. He normally drives on Lakeshore Drive, but he's giving that up since it's been designated an official alternate route.

"Everyone else is going to be taking that," he says with a laugh.

Hall figures a train commute will take half an hour longer, about the same increase he'd face on the road. But he thinks he'll still be better off.

"I hate sitting in traffic, and it's bad enough now," he says.

Standing room only

South Shore trains are already bursting at the seams on many runs.

In February, three of 14 rush hour trains to and from Chicago had average seat occupancy rates over 100 percent, with another six running above 90 percent. Overall 2006 ridership through February is running almost 11 percent ahead of the same period last year.

Adding new trains or extra cars just isn't an option, Parsons says.

Of the 68 cars in the fleet, 63 operate in daily service. Two substitute cars are regularly pressed into service, two cars are currently undergoing routine mid-life overhauls and another is lost to a rotating mandatory inspection of the cars.

"We are using all available equipment in daily service," Parsons says.

Most rush hour trains are already at maximum length -- eight cars -- which can't be exceeded because of the draw on the electric system and because of platform length.

Purchase of new cars, possibly double-deckers that could add about 15 seats per car, will be discussed at Friday's meeting of the South Shore board. But funding is not at all finalized, and delivery would take 18 to 24 months once an order is made.

Parking (not a) lot

Of course, crowding inside the trains will be a moot point if commuters can't find a parking spot at the station.

South Shore officials are discouraging new commuters from getting on in Hammond, where the 718-spot lot fills up before the end of morning rush hour. Gary Metro Center is also jam-packed.

Instead, the South Shore is urging commuters to use East Chicago, whose lot was increased to 1,200 spaces two years ago, or Hegewisch.

"They might find a parking space, but they'll stand on the train all the way downtown," said Janell Kelley, a legal secretary in the Loop who has taken the train from Hegewisch for 26 years.

Kelley also warns about parking security. She says a friend had her car broken into five times at the dollar-a-day lot and the South Shore. Kelley says the South Shore should do more to prevent crime and needs better planning to meet ridership demands.

But new rider Patrick Hall has no problem if he has to stand.

"I don't mind," he say philosophically, with just the attitude that may be the only way for everyone to survive the coming changes.

"Worrying's not going to do me any good anyway. It's out of our control."