Time Zone Fiasco, Toll Road Sale and now the South Shore R.R.?

Dave Niezgodski

On August 3rd, NICTD (Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District),
(South Shore), Staff met with INDOT Commissioner Tom Sharp. NICTD’s ridership has been on a steady upward stream that has not been seen since the early 1960’s.
Due to this steady increase in ridership it has become necessary to seek state and local funding in order to purchase 14 new cars amounting to a sum of close to 45 million dollars.

NICTD’s request to Commissioner Sharp & others present at the meeting dealt with winning approval for a multi - year funding mechanism utilizing CMAQ (congestion, mitigation, air quality) and Northwest RDA funds.

During a portion of this meeting Commissioner Sharp informed NICTD Staff that CMAQ funds would not be sufficient to address the timeline that NICTD required in order to promptly order the 14 new cars. Commissioner Sharp also recommended that NICTD explore all possible means including a P3, lease or sale of the railroad in a plan similar to the one that was used on the toll road. (Major Moves)

Since that meeting and the recent media storm that has developed due to this conversation, INDOT and the Governor’s Office have completely denied that any such conversation had taken place.

On Oct. 20, 2006 a special meeting of the NICTD Board of Trustees was held in order to further address this conversation which took place between INDOT and NICTD Staff. Commuters had every right to a firm answer as to the future of the commuter railroad. General Manager, Jerry Hanas, once again confirmed that such a conversation did in fact take place and that NICTD Staff had explored a lease/sale option and determined that this would not be a viable option due to the South Shore being subsidized to the extent that it is.

To this date there has yet to be a response from INDOT Commissioner Tom Sharp, the originator of the P3 suggestion.

INDOT spokespersons and the Governors Office have responded, but only in complete denial. How can this current administration be trusted when the public, at the very least, cannot expect an honest answer directly from Commissioner Sharp?

Dave Niezgodski
Dave is Chairman of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD)