Proposed South Shore Line station in South Bend
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Location | TBD South Bend, Indiana | ||||||||||
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There are active proposals to build a new station in
When it was first opened in 1992, the current station on the airport's east side was originally intended to be a temporary location for the city's station. In 2006, officials began advancing plans to move the station to the airport's west side. In 2017, these plans again began gathering support. However, soon after, proposals for alternate locations for a station began to arise. The South Bend Chocolate Company proposed locating the station near tourist attractions it was planning to construct. Then-mayor Pete Buttigieg (who had previously supported the plans to relocate the station to the west side of the airport) proposed instead locating the station in downtown South Bend. In 2018, a study was conducted analyzing possible sites for the station (the west side of the airport, downtown South Bend, a location on
Existing station
South Bend Airport station, the current South Shore Line terminus serving South Bend, Indiana, was opened at South Bend International Airport on November 20, 1992.[1] The station's location on the east side of the airport was chosen due to the existence of a freight spur at that site, but this alignment was originally intended to be only temporary.[2][3] The route that carries the South Shore Line to the station is considered slow and circuitous.[4]
Initial plans to relocate the station to the west side of the airport
Since 2006,
In 2017, South Bend's redevelopment commission voted to spend $25 million in tax increment financing funds to build a new station.[5] This was part of a deal with St. Joseph County, in which the county would contribute $18 million to double-track the South Shore Line between Gary and Michigan City, while the city would contribute $25 million to pay for the relocation of the station to the airport's west side.[15] South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg was supportive of the municipal expenditure for this project at the time.[16]
Emergence of alternate proposals
Locally preferred alternatives were presented to the original proposal to relocate the station. One was to instead build a new station on parking lots at Westmoor Street west of Bendix Drive (along existing South Shore Line tracks), located on property owned by the Honeywell Corporation.[9][13] Concerns about this location, however, included citizens feeling it was not a safe area.[15] There was also discussion of extending the South Shore Line into the city's downtown, though some saw it as likely to be cost-prohibitive.[15] In September 2017, the South Bend Common Council unanimously passed a resolution urging that as many homes in Ardmore as possible be spared from being demolished by the proposed relocation project.[17] A study was made producing an alternate plan which would take a different path. However this proposal too drew opposition from property owners whose land would be impacted.[2]
In December 2017, the South Bend Chocolate Company publicly discussed the possibility of building a station at the location of their planned new factory and tourist destination. They had selected a 90-acre (36 ha) site to the southwest of the U.S. 20 intersection of and St. Joseph Valley Parkways planned to build a new factory at, as well as two planned museums: the first a relocation of its existing chocolate museum (which was already receiving 50,000 visitors at its existing location) and the other being a planned "Indiana Dinosaur" Museum.[15] In addition to this, the company was giving open consideration to building other attractions on the site, including a hotel, a winery, a restaurant, a bison farm, and hiking trails. It was argued that a station would enhance the venture's prospects of attracting tourists from Chicago and other areas in the region.[15]
In August 2018, Buttigieg began to advocate for a new South Shore Line station to instead be located in South Bend's downtown.
While Buttigieg pushed for the community to look into the potential for a downtown station, he also conceded that it might ultimately prove to be too expensive of a project.[16]
2018 study of possible locations
In 2018, Mayor Buttigieg ordered a study of five possible locations for a new station serving South Bend.[13] The five locations being explored are the aforementioned west airport relocation, downtown station, and Honeywell Corporation sites, the site in the southwest quadrant of the U.S. 20 and U.S. 31 interchange that the South Bend Chocolate Factory tourist destination was planned for, and the existing South Bend Amtrak station.[9][25] The study also explored the impact of retaining the existing station instead of constructing a new one.[25] The report was published in April 2018.[9] By August 2018, after the report's publication, both Buttigieg and NICTD president Mike Noland publicly declared their belief that the Honeywell Corporation site, chocolate factory site, and Amtrak site were eliminated from further consideration.[5]
Location | Coordinates (links to map & photo sources) |
---|---|
Current airport station | 41°42′03″N 86°18′39″W / 41.700780°N 86.310779°W |
Amtrak station | 41°40′42″N 86°17′16″W / 41.678340°N 86.287683°W |
Chocolate factory | 41°42′26″N 86°20′40″W / 41.707165°N 86.344509°W] |
Downtown | 41°40′10″N 86°15′19″W / 41.669581°N 86.255369°W |
Honeywell | 41°41′05″N 86°18′10″W / 41.684765°N 86.302663°W |
West side of airport | 41°41′59″N 86°18′52″W / 41.699781°N 86.314417°W |
The study found that, indeed, any relocation would decrease the travel time, with the fastest train to Millennium Station if the existing station is retained being 115 minutes, whilst all other station options would have the fastest train to Millennium station be between 82 and 84 minutes.[25] The fastest train from Millennium Station if the existing station is retained will be 118 minutes, whilst for all other options it would be between 90 and 92 minutes.[25]
The costs to build each new station option were estimated by the study. A new west airport station was found to cost $29.5 million, a downtown station was found to cost $102.3 million, the Honeywell Corporation site was found to cost $23.9 million, the chocolate factory site was found to cost $44.3 million, and the Amtrak station was found to cost $31.7 million.[25]
The potential ten-year economic impact of each station option was studied. Retaining the existing station could still generate $39 million in economic impact. The new west airport station could generate $83.8 million, a downtown station could generate $415.3 million, the Honeywell Corporation site could generate either $171.5 million (if mixed-use development is built around it) or $132 million (if industrial development is built around it), the chocolate factory site could generate $144.4 million, and the Amtrak station could generate $139.7 million.[25]
Station option | Travel times | Forecasted weekday ridership (year 2040) | |
---|---|---|---|
To Millennium station | From Millennium station | ||
Current airport station | 115–160 minutes | 118–155 minutes | — |
Amtrak station | 82–98 minutes | 90–97 minutes | 731 |
Chocolate factory | 82–98 minutes | 90–97 minutes | 698 |
Downtown | 84–100 minutes | 92–99 minutes | 735 |
Honeywell | 82–98 minutes | 90–97 minutes | 729 |
West side of airport | 84–100 minutes | 92–99 minutes | 727 |
Station option | Estimated base capital costs | Potential range of capital costs | Annual operations and management costs |
---|---|---|---|
Current airport station | — | — | — |
Amtrak station | $31,727,000 | $28.3–31.7 million | $577,430 |
Chocolate factory | $44,274,000 | $40.7–44.3 million | $247,430 |
Downtown | $102,302,000 | $98.4–102.3 million | $577,430 |
Honeywell | $23,870,000 | $14.3–23.9 million | $577,430 |
West side of airport | $29,480,000 | $29.5 million | $247,430 |
Station option | Acres available for development within half-mile | Potential new construction value within half-mile | Station area typology | Influence of transit on station area's development program | Potential 10-year economic impact | Potential 10-year fiscal impact | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Property taxes | All taxes | ||||||
Current airport station | 63 | $24,590,000 | Industrial | Low | $39,000,000 | $4,486,00 | $7,210,000 |
Amtrak station | 64 | $23,250,000 | Neighborhood transit-oriented development (TOD) | Moderate | $139,700,000 | $2,556,000 | $11,440,000 |
Chocolate factory | 221 | $40,230,000 | Special destination | Moderate | $144,400,000 | $5,921,000 | $15,400,000 |
Downtown | 83 | $147,810,000 | Downtown | Moderate | $415,300,000 | $18,639,000 | $45,150,000 |
Honeywell (mixed-use redevelopment scheme) | 86 | $73,070,000 | Neighborhood TOD | High | $171,500,000 | $8,563,000 | $19,410,100 |
Honeywell (industrial redevelopment scheme) | $47,320,000 | Industrial | Moderate | $132,000,000 | $5,640,000 | $14,110,000 | |
West side of airport | 34 | $17,820,000 | Industrial | Low | $83,800,000 | $3,251,000 | $8,800,000 |
Station option | Space available for station, platform and parking | Factors complicating construction of station | Likely environmental action required |
---|---|---|---|
Current airport station | Good | — | — |
Amtrak station | Good | Impacts to Norfolk Southern (NS)
|
Environmental assessment |
Chocolate factory | Good | Plan is predicated on private development plans; property acquisition required for approach tracks; CSS storage tracks | Environmental impact statement |
Downtown | Adequate | Limited Canadian National (CN)
|
Environmental impact statement |
Honeywell | Good | Properties are currently owned by the Honeywell Corporation; access is near Honeywell operations | Environmental assessment or categorical exclusion |
West side of airport | Good | Property acquisition required for approach tracks | Environmental assessment |
Downtown station feasibility study
In December 2018, an $181,000 engineering study was commissioned by the South Bend Redevelopment Commission to further examine the cost of a downtown station.[18][14] This study was not made available to the public until, after a public record request, it was released in March 2021 to the South Bend Tribune and thereafter published by the newspaper.[11] The study showed that rerouting South Shore Line trains into the city's downtown would require numerous properties to be acquired, the city's Amtrak station to be relocated, two structures at a public housing complex to be demolished, and a soccer field at the Salvation Army Kroc Center to be demolished.[11]
The study estimated that the cost to construct a downtown station would be $112 million, which is more than the $102 million that the previous study had estimated. The reason for this higher estimate was due to both inflation and challenges that had become better understood as a result of this study.[23][24] The study estimated that a downtown station would generate a $430 million economic impact and create 7,770 new jobs in a ten-year period. The study estimated that, when measured through new tax revenue, the return on capital cost would be 40%. However, when measured through economic impact, the return on capital cost was estimated at 336%.[23][24]
Further developments (2019–2021)
In their 2019 capital plan, NICTD set aside $30 million for a relocation of the station and track realignment.[26]
In early 2019, standing firm in their support for building a rail spur to the west side of the South Bend International Airport, St. Joseph County commissioned a $119,000 study to look at the construction of such a spur. The study would consider two routes running both through the neighborhood located between U.S. 31 and Mayflower Road. The first route to be considered was down Sundown Road, and the second was down Oak Road. Both routes were further west than the earlier-considered route, and were located between Oak Road and Butternut Road. The study was to look at both the potential of a freight-only spur and the potential of a spur shared by both freight and passenger trains. This study has not been released to the public.[11][24][14]
As of March 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration had not given permission for the routing of tracks and overhead catenary through a protected area near South Bend International Airport's runway. Such permission would be required for the proposed location on the west side of the airport.[11]
A decision regarding the future of South Bend's South Shore Line station was originally anticipated to be made at some point in 2020.[27] No such decision came. In March 2021, it was reported by the South Bend Tribune that community leaders had not yet reached a consensus as to where to build a new South Shore Line station.[11]
While the 2018 estimate had been that a downtown station would cost $102 million, and the downtown feasibility study estimated that it would cost $112 million, some other cost projections are as high as nearly $200 million.
In 2021, NICTD officials indicated that if a new station is built on the west side of the airport, they intend to run short turn shuttle trains between Michigan City, Indiana, and the station in order to encourage use of the airport. These trains would run in addition to the existing trains that travel to/from Chicago.[29] It was suggested that the shuttle trains could run hourly.[30]
NICTD advances plans for station on the west side of airport (2022–present)
On August 1, 2022, NICTD's board of trustees voted to issue a request for proposals to move the station to the west side of the airport.[2] NICTD hopes to be able to obtain federal funds allotted by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.[31]
NICTD's president has claimed that the project would neither interfere with potential freight operations at the airport nor the possibility of adding a station in downtown South Bend.[32] NICTD's president has even proposed the idea of, sometime after the station on the west side of the airport is built, extending the South Shore Line to downtown; proposing that if both stations are constructed, the downtown station would ultimately serve as the South Shore Line's commuter services' terminus, while a separate shuttle service would run between the downtown station and the west airport station.[33]
In November 2022, NICTD hired an engineering firm to complete $6 million in design work for the proposed route to a west airport station, with preliminary environmental studies being scheduled to be finished in September 2023 and engineering studies scheduled to be finished in March 2024.[30][34][35] The preliminary environmental studies would assist in the eligibility of the project for federal grants.[35] As of the time that the engineering firm was hired, NICTD officials expressed openness to the possibility of building a branch line to downtown South Bend after a west airport station is possibly opened.[30][36] Around this time, Mueller commented that one advantage that he recognized rerouting to the west side of the airport having over keeping the existing alignment was a decrease in the number of at-grade railway crossings,[34] remarking,
Fewer crossings at grade crossings leads to better safety for our motorists and pedestrians and bicyclists that have to traverse those intersections. So it's safety, it's economy, it's a win-win for our community.[34]
As of late 2022, plans for the west airport relocation had construction beginning as early as the fall or winter of 2024 dependent on the ability to secure federal funding.[37] NICTD is hoping that federal funding could pay for approximately half of the station project's expense, which as of April 2023 is estimated to cost between $75 million and $80 million.[16] To construct trackage to the planned new west airport station, NICTD is expected to need to acquire land currently occupied by approximately ten houses in South Bend's Ardmore neighborhood.[16]
Continued debate
Some community leaders have continued to argue for the downtown location to be instead pursued, with some advocating for the former Union Station to be utilized.[38] Mayor Mueller has continued to voice that there would be advantages to instead constructing a downtown station, which he has touted as being a "transformational" project,[16] remarking,
A lot of things are coming together on the south side of downtown, and train service would seamlessly fit in. We see the benefits of getting to Chicago in 90 minutes, but it's hard to get excited about moving the station from one side of the airport to the other.[16]
Noland has claimed that the
The University of Notre Dame, a large higher-education institution located in the South Bend area, has expressed its support for the South Shore Line taking advantage of the opportunity for federal funds and relocating of the station to the west side of the airport when such funds are available. The university, however, has also expressed that it does not oppose a downtown station location. A similar stance has been expressed by the South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce.[16]
References
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- ^ "Plan to move South Shore station at South Bend airport receives new life". Trains. November 29, 2022. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
- ^ Spencer, Suzanne (February 2, 2015). "South Shore to cut commute time from South Bend to Chicago". WSBT. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
- ^ a b c Parrott, Jeff. "Next stop downtown? Buttigieg wants South Shore to run into the heart of South Bend". South Bend Tribune. Archived from the original on December 24, 2020. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
- ^ a b c d Parrott, Jeff (August 18, 2018). "South Bend mayor's push for downtown South Shore station raises new questions". South Bend Tribune. Archived from the original on April 10, 2019. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
- ^ a b c d Booker, Ted (January 3, 2019). "St. Joseph County plans to study options for South Shore rail line to west side of airport". South Bend Tribune. Archived from the original on April 10, 2019. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
- ^ a b "20-YEAR STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLAN May 2014 Executive Summary" (PDF). NICTD. May 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e Steele, Andrew (April 21, 2019). "Five options for new South Shore station in South Bend". Northwest Indiana Times. Archived from the original on April 10, 2019. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
- ^ Steele, Andrew. "South Shore projects will upgrade and reduce at-grade crossings". nwitimes.com. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Sheckler, Christian (March 21, 2021). "New train station in South Bend: lots of money on studies. No progress. No location settled". South Bend Tribune. Archived from the original on March 25, 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
- ^ Steele, Andrew Steele (August 2, 2022). "South Shore Line takes step toward moving South Bend station". nwitimes.com. The Times (Munster, Indiana). Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
- ^ a b c Booker, Ted (January 3, 2019). "St. Joseph County plans to study options for South Shore rail line to west side of airport". South Bend Tribune. Archived from the original on April 10, 2019. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
- ^ a b c Booker, Ted (January 2, 2019). "St. Joseph County plans to study options for South Shore rail line to west side of airport". South Bend Tribune. Archived from the original on May 20, 2022. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Parrott, Jeff (December 5, 2017). "South Bend chocolatier wants new South Shore station west of airport". South Bend Tribune. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Semmler, Ed (April 28, 2023). "Speedier South Shore headed our way. Where it will stop still under debate". South Bend Tribune. Archived from the original on June 17, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
- ^ Parrott, Jeff (December 3, 2017). "Could half-empty parking lots save area homes?". South Bend Tribune. Archived from the original on December 1, 2022. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Engineering study approved for proposed South Shore Line station in downtown South Bend". South Bend Tribune. December 17, 2018. Archived from the original on October 26, 2019. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
- ^ Zorn, Tim (August 16, 2018). "South Shore chief likes South Bend plan; sees airport as better short-term goal". chicagotribune.com. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
- ^ Kurowski, Jeff (December 12, 1988). "Perron pushers for extension of South Shore Line". Newspapers.com. The South Bend Tribune. p. B1. Archived from the original on August 2, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- ^ Anguiano, Barb (August 14, 2018). "Mayor Eyes Downtown For South Shore Stop". WVPE. Archived from the original on November 9, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
- ^ "Greyhound moving from airport to downtown Transpo station". WNDU-TV. November 20, 2019. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
- ^ a b c "South Bend South Shore Line Downtown Station Feasibility Study" (PDF). newscdn2.weigelbroadcasting.com. Prepared by AECOM for the City of South Bend. March 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Spears, Tim (March 7, 2022). "Fast Track: The future of the South Shore Line". ABC57. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "South Bend Station Alternatives" (PDF). AECOM. April 19, 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 31, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
- ^ Steele, Andrew (February 3, 2020). "South Shore eyes new rail cars, other upgrades in capital plans". nwitimes.com. The Times of Northwest Indiana. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
- ^ Catanzarite, Maria (February 11, 2020). "Faster South Shore service closer to becoming a reality". WNDU. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ Spears, Tim (March 7, 2022). "Fast Track: The future of the South Shore Line". ABC 57. WBND-TV. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
- ^ Lazzaro, Jakob (November 5, 2021). "South Shore Line head says double track project, West Lake Corridor extension on schedule". WFYI Public Media. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
- ^ a b c Gallenberger, Michael (November 28, 2022). "South Shore Line hires engineering firm to design new route to South Bend Airport". WFYI.org. WFYI Public Media. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
- ^ "Plan to move South Shore station at South Bend airport receives new life". Trains.com. August 3, 2022. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
- ^ Spears, Tim (August 5, 2022). "South Shore Line sends request to move South Bend station from east side to west side of airport". www.abc57.com. WBND-LD. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ Gallenberger, Michael (May 30, 2023). "South Shore Line not ruling out future extension to downtown South Bend". WVPE. Lakeshore Public Radio. Archived from the original on July 21, 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
- ^ a b c "South Shore Line to undergo 'realignment project' to decrease travel time". WNDU. December 14, 2022. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
- ^ a b "South Shore board hires engineering firm to plan relocation of South Bend airport station". Trains.com. November 29, 2022. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
- ^ Finke, Erica (December 5, 2022). "Proposal could move South Shore train station". WSBT. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
- ^ Zimney, Jon (December 15, 2022). "Major step forward in moving South Shore Line to west of South Bend Airport". 95.3 MNC. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
- ^ Goldman, Leo (April 6, 2023). "Proposal moves South Shore to Union Station". WSBT. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.