Turning a section of U.S. 12 into a scenic byway is gaining traction, with the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority issuing a request for qualifications for a technical study.
The RDA is looking for firms or teams to provide transportation, civil and multimodal engineering services for the study, to be completed by Dec. 1, 2027.
Turning U.S. 12 into a scenic byway was first proposed decades ago. The RDA is working to make it happen as a priority included in its 20-year strategic plan.
That plan identifies two potential segments of the scenic byway. To the west, it would go from Ind. 249, the access to Portage Lakefront Park and Riverwalk, to Lake Street in Gary, the access to Miller Woods. Another section would stretch between Burns Harbor and Mount Baldy.
Truck traffic would be rerouted from U.S. 12 to improve the experience for Indiana Dunes National Park visitors. Unlike Indiana Dunes State Park, which has a single access point, the national park sprawls across Northwest Indiana between Gary and Michigan City.
The Federal Highway Administration administers the National Scenic Byway Program. To qualify, a road must demonstrate one or more of six intrinsic qualities – archaeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational or scenic – to create a distinctive and memorable travel experience of regional significance.
The push to achieve scenic byway designation is part of a group effort to advance lakefront access, tourism, safety, mobility, environmental stewardship and corridor revitalization across Northwest Indiana.
Achieving scenic byway designation is expected to draw more tourists to Northwest Indiana, increasing spending in lakefront communities.
The study will produce a corridor management plan, an Indiana Dunes State Park access study and a prioritized implementation program.
The RFQ can be downloaded at www.in.gov/rda/rfprfq.
Doug Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
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