By Keith Benman, Times of Northwest Indiana
keith.benman@nwi.com
Hammond officials and the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority expressed faith in a plan to regionalize the city's bus system Tuesday, just one week before a controversial voter referendum on regional transportation.
Under a plan approved by the Hammond City Council in September, the city's bus system will be turned over to the Northwest Indiana Regional Bus Authority, with the city continuing funding of $900,000 per year for two years.
"For the RBA, it's time," Rick Calinski, Mayor Thomas McDermott's chief of staff, told the RDA board on Tuesday. "It's time for it to be given a chance to truly regionalize bus routes in Northwest Indiana."
RBA Executive Director Tim Brown said his organization and Hammond will make a request for two years of grant support from the RDA next month. Brown did not specify an amount but at a previous RDA meeting floated a $2.4 million figure.
Brown told the RDA on Tuesday that in running the Hammond service, the RBA plans to bring back Saturday service on some routes. Those could be the current Route 1 that runs from Chicago's South Side to Munster and another that would serve the area around Cabela's and the new retail development at the former Interstate Plaza on Indianapolis Boulevard.
Hammond is the first city to approve turning its bus system over to the RBA since the bus authority was reshaped into its current form by state legislation four years ago. The RBA wants to have the system fully under its control by June, running expanded routes that go to shopping and employment centers in other communities.
"We should give recognition to the city of Hammond for undertaking this effort and trying to develop bus service for all the citizens of Northwest Indiana," said RDA board member Harley Snyder.
At the same time, Snyder and other RDA members said they see the current funding plan for Hammond buses as temporary and that a long-term funding solution still must be found for mass transit in Northwest Indiana.
The referendum to be held Tuesday was designed to provide that solution, by giving a four-county Regional Transportation District the power to impose a local income tax of up to 0.25 percent. But the highly controversial referendum will now only take place in Porter and St. Joseph counties.
Both Lake and LaPorte counties have refused to follow a state mandate to hold the referendum on Nov. 3. Both counties have said they may consider holding it during general elections in the spring.
RDA members on Tuesday said the referendum is only one step in regionalizing mass transit, and its success or failure will not determine whether their plans go forward.
"Regardless of the outcome (of the referendum), we have to start working on solutions for an integrated transportation system; that's what this is about, helping to make this happen," said Bill Hanna, RDA executive director.