South Shore Rail Line's 5-Year Plan Worth $1.1B

CHESTERTON, Ind. (AP) — The board of trustees in charge of the South Shore commuter train line between Chicago and South Bend has approved a five-year plan worth more than $1.1 billion.

The (Northwest Indiana) Times reports the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District's Board of Trustees list includes new rail cars and rerouting the railroad near South Bend International Airport. Other plans include laying two lines of track in some areas, extending the railroad south from Hammond to Dyer and federally mandated safety projects. The Hammond-to-Dyer extension is the priciest endeavor with a $604 million price tag.

If all of the efforts are successful, about half of the money for the projects would come from the federal government and the other half from local sources.