Residents packed Monday’s Munster Town Council meeting to press for a variety of safety and aesthetics concerns in the event a new South Shore train station is built at Ridge Road and Manor Avenue.
Although contentious at times, the standing room-only crowd applauded when council members gave assurances their concerns were heard and would be brought to the full attention of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD), which has proposed new stations along an expanded South Shore line.
“A lot of your concerns are the same concerns we have as a town,” said Town Manager Dustin Anderson, noting that they have been relayed to NICTD officials.
Residents will have an opportunity to query NICTD officials during a public meeting at 9 a.m. Friday at Munster Town Hall, which will be attended by town officials.
Munster residents are seeking numerous concessions involving the construction of the train station. These include specific height and type of fencing around the station and parking lot, resident-only parking on streets within one mile of the station, consideration to widen Harrison Avenue, quiet zones through residential areas, a traffic control study and financial compensation to homeowners within a quarter-mile of the station or train tracks in the event property values decrease.
A citizens group, the Concerned Families of the West Lake Corridor Project, offered a resolution spearheaded by Munster resident Julie O’Connor, that also requests NICTD acquire 18 homes in the vicinity of the station rather than just the proposed four homes along South Street where she resides.
Others, including Tom Davis, oppose the station altogether.
“It’s going to cause a commotion you just don’t need,” he said. “Put it before a referendum.”
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Councilwoman Lee Ann Mellon said it would be a “huge miss” to not bring a South Shore station to Munster.
“I’ve talked to people who choose not to locate in Munster because the train is too far away,” she said.
Councilman Andy Koultourides said he looked forward to reviewing the residents’ resolution and coming up with a revised document that adequately addresses their concerns. Council President Joe Simonetto noted that a resolution from the town can only make suggestions and that Munster cannot dictate a federally funded project such as the South Shore expansion.
Jim Masters is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.