The Michigan City Council has officially moved ahead with domain proceedings to finish the acquisition of properties required for the South Shore double-track commuter rail project. This acquisition has however faced several setbacks including; two of the properties that will be needed for the Michigan City train station and parking garage requiring legal intervention to finish the sale according to the Redevelopment Commission attorney, Alan Sirinek. The city is however continuing to buy the properties needed for the station and parking garage, while the railroad is buying other properties for the double-tracking project.
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The Michigan South Shore double-track project has been brought together with the intention of speeding up commuter rail travel between Chicago and Michigan City. Construction has been projected to begin in the summer of 2021, said Michael Noland, the president, and general manager of the South Shore Line. Contracts for construction are expected to be awarded around June 1, and the acquisitions need to be completed by then. So far, The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District Board of Trustees approved a contract Monday for demolition work in Michigan City in preparation for the project. A US$2.7 million contract was awarded to Green Demolition of Chicago. The board also approved US$1.2 million for the manufacture of railroad turnouts needed in advance for the Michigan City double-track project.
The current schedule anticipates formalization of a grant from the Federal Transit Administration early next year that would pay about 38% of a project expected to cost more than US$450 million. The Double Track project will add 17 miles of a second track to the South Shore from Gary to Michigan City and include four new bridges, eight new station platforms, additional parking, and closure of 21 at-grade crossings in Michigan City. The design-build team for the project, the companies F.H.Paschen and Ragnar Benson are actively now finishing out the design.
