Express buses to Chicago cut into South Shore business

BY KEITH BENMAN, Times of Northwest Indiana

kbenman@nwitimes.com

MERRILLVILLE | The Northwest Indiana Regional Bus Authority is pushing ahead with plans to run express buses from Lake County to downtown Chicago, despite growing concern the services may be pulling riders off the South Shore.

The RBA hopes to start two buses running daily from the Munster-Highland area to the Loop as early as April, RBA board member Charles Barbour told its board Monday.

But Barbour also told RBA board members there is increasing concern at South Shore operator Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District about express buses, which already run twice daily from Valparaiso to the Loop.

"NICTD is afraid it will pull business away from them," Barbour said at the RBA's regular monthly meeting at Methodist Hospitals Southlake Campus. "So they have at the ninth hour changed direction on this."

When the express bus services were first proposed, some NICTD officials said they might be a good way of demonstrating demand for the planned South Shore extension.

When contacted Monday night, NICTD Marketing and Planning Director John Parsons confirmed the railroad has concerns.

"We have expressed concern, especially when it (express bus service) goes into downtown Chicago," Parsons said. "It's literally serving our market."

It would be different if RBA buses were providing service direct to NICTD stations, Parsons said.

NICTD thinks the RBA should be concentrating on consolidating bus services in Hammond, Gary and East Chicago before doing other projects, Parsons said.

The express buses in Valparaiso are funded by federal Clean Air funds. The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority kicked in $1.8 million to buy land for a parking area for the buses.

The Lake County express buses would be funded out of a $6.5 million grant the RDA approved for the RBA last year. Among projects the RBA proposed in securing that grant were the Lake County express buses.

Barbour told the RBA board Monday night they will look for a firm commitment from the RDA on funding the express buses.

When contacted Monday night, RDA Chairman Leigh Morris said the issue of express buses cutting into South Shore business will have to be considered.

"It's an issue that probably needs to be explored," Morris said. "We have scarce resources as it is for public transit."