David Wellman

Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority

The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority was established by the State of Indiana in 2006 to provide leadership, direction and secure funding for five specific regional issues affecting Lake and Porter counties in Northwest Indiana: Surface transportation (rail and bus); expansion of the Gary/Chicago International Airport; restoration of the Lake Michigan Shoreline as outlined in the Marquette Plan; and regional economic development. Since that time, the RDA has invested or committed to investing approximately $230 million in capital construction and economic development projects. This investment has attracted more than $500 million in additional local, state, federal and private investment, and will have a cumulative total economic impact of more than $1.1 billion by 2015. These investments have created or are projected to create more than 5,000 jobs. By 2025, these projects will generate an estimated $770 million in economic output annually and increase personal income by $383 million a year. Currently, the RDA is working to assemble funding for a $571 million commuter rail expansion to increase access to high-paying jobs in Chicago. The extension and related improvements to the existing line are projected to increase annual ridership by more than 5,000 while creating an additional 2,000 non-commuter jobs in Northwest Indiana. The RDA recently partnered with NICTD to create a 20-year strategic business plan for commuter rail in Northwest Indiana The RDA has an annual budget of $27.5 million. This consists of $10 million annually from the state of Indiana and $3.5 million from each of the following: Lake County, Porter County and the cities of Gary, Hammond and East Chicago.