MUNSTER, Ind. (AP) --
Officials broke ground Wednesday on an expansion of the South Shore commuter
rail line through part of western Lake County.
The 8-mile line that will
extend from Dyer to Hammond and connect to Chicago will be the largest
public transit investment in Indiana history, Gov. Eric Holcomb said.
“By bringing
commuter rail through the heart of Lake County, the West Lake Corridor
project is a game changer for Northwest Indiana and the entire state,”
Holcomb said.
The project includes four
new stations: two in Hammond, one in Munster and one at the border of
Munster and Dyer.
The project, which is
funded through a mix of federal, state and local dollars, is expected to
cost nearly $945 million, Holcomb’s office said in a news release. The state
has committed nearly $255 million in funding and localities have committed
more than $335 million.
Construction is expected to
finish in late 2024, with passenger service starting in early 2025.
“The West Lake
Corridor project is a big win for Hoosiers in Northwest Indiana. This new
rail line will encourage billions in private investment in the area, create
great jobs for those in Hammond and Dyer and the surrounding counties, and
create new opportunities for growth in the Northwest Indiana region,”
Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Braun said.
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Posted 10/29/2020
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