With the West Lake Corridor and Double Track underway, the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) continues looking toward its next round of projects.
Environmental studies have begun on a shorter route to South Bend Airport. On the other end of the line, NICTD is planning significant investments into Metra's Electric District.
NICTD President Mike Noland says the railroad will soon break ground on a fourth mainline track between 11th Street and Millennium Station. The Metra line that the South Shore uses to get into downtown Chicago currently narrows to three tracks just before it gets there.
"It's never been a bottleneck. It's operated fine. But we're adding 26 trains to that track system, starting in '24 and '25," Noland told the NICTD Board Monday.
He said the two railroads will invest $150 million to $170 million in the project. He believes it's the line's largest single infrastructure investment since Metra bought it from Illinois Central in 1987.
Noland said they're also looking at increasing speeds. The Metra Electric mainline is already grade-separated from streets and other railroads, but Noland said the signals are too far apart to let trains go the maximum 79 miles per hour, limiting their speed to 65 miles per hour.
"It goes to show, just because it's not our railroad — our riders benefit because 14 miles going into the city and 14 miles coming out, they're on the Metra system," Noland added.
He said the federal infrastructure bill has opened up funding opportunities for projects and other capital improvements.
