| West Lake Corridor | |
|---|---|
| Reporting mark | ? |
| Locale | Chicago to Valparaiso, IN and Lowell, IN |
| Dates of operation | ?–? |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge) |
| Headquarters | Chesterton, IN |
The West Lake Corridor is a proposal for commuter rail service to serve the city of Chicago, Illinois, and the cities of Hammond, Highland, Griffith, Valparaiso, Hobart, Cedar Lake, Munster, Merrillville, Dyer, and Lowell in Indiana. According to one studied alignment,[1] the line is to follow the Metra Electric Line to Kensington, then roughly the South Shore Line, Norfolk Southern (former Nickel Plate) and Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad to Hammond, and the abandoned Monon Railroad right of way, splitting at Munster to Valparaiso and Lowell. A map in the report describes an alternative bus service considered in the study,[2] apparently to meet a Federal Transit Administration requirement that several modal and alignment options be addressed in the "Alternatives Analysis,"[3] but that alternative would not eliminate overloading on the main South Shore line.
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It was decided in mid-2000 that population and commercial growth in Lake and Porter counties in Northwest Indiana justified an expansion of the commuter rail services offered by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD). A more recent study confirms the economic benefits;[4] however, a later Associated Press-WJOB story indicates that NICTD has some doubt whether the community is growing at a rate that would qualify for federal funding for the project, and whether it could use the CN line to Valparaiso.[5] A later study indicated that while the Lowell branch would attract 11,327 riders per day, a Valparaiso to Munster branch would not attract enough ridership, and that part of the plan would be dropped.[6]
Lowell to Downtown Chicago – This service would extend a total of 45.8 miles from Lowell to Chicago along the CSX Transportation line, to the Monon Corridor, and then to Chicago as described above.
It is foreseen that the service would also stop at following stations on Metra's Electric Line: