The Regional Development Authority welcomed a new face and looked toward future initiatives at its first meeting of 2016.
Portage businessman Thomas E. Golab was sworn-in as a member of the RDA board of directors. Golab was appointed to the board in December by Gov. Mike Pence. He replaced vice chairman Harley Snyder of Valparaiso, who did not seek reappointment.
As the RDA enters its second decade of existence, Executive Director Bill Hanna discussed the projects approved and finished in 2015 as well as what 2016 may hold for the quasi-governmental development entity.
“This last year was a real highlight for us,” Hanna said. “We accomplished things in the Indiana General Assembly and in terms of projects. The most significant was we were able to secure $180 million for the West Lake corridor project for the South Shore (railroad). We’ll receive $6 million a year for 30 years, which will enable us to secure federal funds and to bond. It’s a significant portion of the local/state match required.”
The $571 million West Lake Corridor extension will create a spur of the South Shore railroad with stops in Munster and Dyer. The state funding will help bolster local economic development tax revenues that have been committed to the project.
Hanna said the West Lake corridor project combined with planned double-tracking and station upgrades on the existing South Shore will improve times for commuters.
“What you’ve got really is we’re getting more competitive with the Illinois suburbs, and the wealth generation will help drive taxes down as well,” Hanna said. “It’s a huge thing and it ties together everything we’ve done for the first decade.”
Hanna also focused on the opening of the expanded runway at the Gary/Chicago International Airport. Many of the funds for the $174.1 million were from the RDA.
“A lot of people said it wouldn’t happen,” Hanna said. “(In 2016 and beyond) there will be more of a push to work with Chicago aviation. We see less opportunity for growth in Chicago and more in support of Chicago in Gary.”
The RDA’s commitment to the airport will continue the focus switches to road improvement projects and efforts to attract businesses to the area around the airport, Hanna said.
Hanna detailed several recent RDA grants bearing fruit for Northwest Indiana residents. In October, the RDA committed $6 million to a $30 million project to build an overpass at 45th and Calumet in Munster in order to relieve congestion issues caused by a busy train corridor. The investment aims to eventually attract more transit-oriented development to the site.
The RDA committed $250,000 toward North Township’s Dial-A-Ride bus service and $317,000 to the Porter County Airport.
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“We’re really turning the corner for what we can do in the next decade,” Hanna said.
The board also held officer elections. Don Fesko was re-elected to the chairman post, Bill Joiner was elected vice chairman and Porter County appointee Chris Campbell was voted into the treasuer position.