The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority took the final steps Thursday to begin applying a $1.2 million federal grant to ongoing transit-oriented development planning efforts.
The RDA board approved a memorandum of understanding with the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, operator of the South Shore Line, regarding the administration and local match for the grant. NICTD s board had approved the memorandum, which includes local funds of $270,000 from the RDA and $30,000 from NICTD, last week.
The $1.5 million will go toward planning for development around current and future railroad stations along the South Shore and West Lake Corridor. It was part of a total of nearly $23 million in TOD planning grants announced by the Federal Transit Administration last year.Â