Leaders lobby to bring high-speed rail through Elkhart and St. Joseph counties

By Tim Vandenack, Truth Staff

tvandenack@etruth.com

The debate over high-speed rail through northern Indiana goes to Indianapolis next week, where a local contingent will lobby for a route passing through Elkhart and St. Joseph counties.

"We don't just leave the decision up to a couple bureaucrats in Indianapolis," said Indiana Rep. Ryan Dvorak, D-South Bend, who'll head the effort.

At issue is the route of a proposed Chicago to Cleveland high-speed rail line stretching across Indiana.

One proposal calls for a more southerly corridor through Plymouth, Warsaw and Fort Wayne while the other one, favored by leaders from Elkhart and St. Joseph counties, goes through South Bend and Elkhart.

The topic comes up at a meeting next Tuesday of a joint state study committee on transportation and Dvorak and other local leaders will be on hand to make their case. A rep from the Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce will attend as well as officials from the St. Joseph County Chamber of Commerce and the University of Notre Dame.

An Indiana Department of Transportation spokesman has said the proposed route across northern Indiana hasn't been selected.

The pick would be made if federal authorities approve an INDOT request for up to $2.82 billion in federal stimulus money to build the Chicago-Cleveland network.

However, Dvorak has heard indications that INDOT favors the Fort Wayne route, hence the campaign for the more northern passage.

"We're trying to get a rallying cry going," he said.

Both Dvorak and Hannon floated the possibility of yet a third route, passing through Elkhart and St. Joseph counties as well as Fort Wayne.

The proposed Chicago-Cleveland connection would be quicker and more frequent than Amtrak. It comes amid a push by President Obama for high-speed rail development across the country.