The South Shore Line continues looking into possible changes to the east end of the railroad.
The Northern Indiana Community Transportation District Board got an update Monday on a feasibility study to bring back a station in New Carlisle. Mariana Madison with Antero Group said two sites are being considered near the U.S. 20 railroad underpass.
St. Joseph County already owns most of the land on the east side of the underpass. But the site west of the underpass is preferred by the town's comprehensive plan, and the Indiana Department of Transportation thinks it might be easier for traffic flow.
"It’s located on the same side of the street as what we anticipate being the pedestrian connection, which is this tunnel underneath the rail here," Madison added. "We don’t know for sure if that will be a tunnel or an overhead crossing, but that’s something that we’re looking into now."
Madison said two other sites were suggested by local residents, but were found to not be feasible.
More than half of those who responded to an online survey of area residents said they'd use a New Carlisle station, while another 25 percent said "maybe." Some of the most important considerations for respondents were parking, safety and security. Madison said they're also looking into how many people would ride the train into New Carlisle for the new jobs coming to the area.
Plans are also moving forward on a shorter route to South Bend Airport. Currently, trains head slightly past the airport and then circle back to approach the terminal from the east.
NICTD President Mike Noland said engineering work and an updated environmental assessment are almost complete. Now, attention is turning to funding the realignment, which is expected to cost $112 million.
Noland told board members that the railroad has already applied for a couple of federal grants, even though no one seems to know when funding might become available. "I know good projects ultimately get funded, and we should not be sitting on the sidelines waiting until we know exactly what’s going to happen," Noland said.
He noted that the Department of Government Efficiency, federal budget discussions and next year's Surface Transportation Reauthorization are all factors — on top of the typical uncertainty with the transition of presidential administrations.
In the meantime, Noland said the railroad is working to secure local funding from the state of Indiana, St. Joseph County and the city of South Bend. There's also been interest from the private sector, including the University of Notre Dame and 1st Source Bank.
