NEWS FROM NIRPC – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 1, 2019
Contact: Dominique Edwards, Public Participation Planner
219-763-6060; dedwards@nirpc.org
After 16 months of feedback with region stakeholders from Lake, Porter and LaPorte Counties, the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) is proud to announce that the draft NWI 2050 Plan is ready for your viewing and comments! This document takes a broad view on a number of important topics that Northwest Indiana (NWI) will need to address over the next 30 years to assure a region that is Connected, Renewed, United and Vibrant. The NWI 2050 Plan examines trends and influences of the future in the areas of Economy & Place, Environment, Mobility, and People & Leaders. The Plan identifies strategies to pursue, investments to make, and progress to measure to achieve the vision for the region. This plan provides 16 critical paths of action for NWI’s future.
To read the draft NWI 2050 Plan, please visit the NWI 2050 Plan website: http://bit.ly/NWI2050Plan
This is the first regional plan presented in an online “storybook” format which provides an interactive experience by allowing the reader to explore maps and visual representations of data. A traditional format version is available for download on the NIRPC website as well. The draft NWI 2050 Plan, the draft 2020-2024 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), and the Transportation Conformity Determination Report are all available for review at the same time. The public is invited to read and comment upon these documents from April 1, 2019 through April 30, 2019.
The TIP showcases a bi-annual prioritization of millions of federal transportation dollars for NWI that serves to improve access, congestion, and mobility for all people in Lake, Porter and LaPorte Counties. The 2020-2024 TIP is a short-range financial and spending plan for using federal transportation funding and includes regionally significant projects. Funding can be used for highway, transit, and non-motorized surface transportation projects. The TIP includes projects undertaken by municipalities, counties, transit operators, and the Indiana Department of Transportation. Federal planning regulations guide the preparation and development of TIP documents.
To read the draft 2020-2024 TIP, please click here:http://bit.ly/20-24TIP
The Transportation Conformity Determination Report establishes the compatibility between the NWI 2050 Plan, the 2020-2024 TIP, and the Indiana State Implementation Plan (SIP). The NWI 2050 Plan includes the region’s guide for transportation system development over a 20-year period. The 2020-2024 TIP includes the region’s choices for Federal spending on expansion and preservation of the transportation system over a 4 to 5-year period. The SIP includes strategies for attainment and maintenance of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The conformity determination is based on a regional emissions analysis that demonstrates compatibility among these three planning documents.
To read the draft Transportation Conformity, please click here:
http://bit.ly/AirQualityConformity
Join us for open houses to learn more about the NWI 2050 Plan, 2020-2024 TIP, and Transportation Conformity. Share your comments at public hearings following each open house!
NWI 2050 Plan, 2020-2024 TIP, Transportation Conformity Open Houses and Public Hearings Schedule
| Date | Venue | Address | Time | City |
| Monday April 22nd | Hammond Civic Center | 5825 Sohl Ave., Main Auditorium | Open House 6:00PM – Public Hearing 7:00PM | Hammond |
| Tuesday April 23rd | Indiana University Northwest | 3400 Broadway, Anderson Library | Open House 6:00PM – Public Hearing 7:00PM | Gary |
| Wednesday April 24th | Ivy Tech Community College | 3714 Franklin St. Student Affairs Room, SAMP 200 | Open House 6:00PM – Public Hearing 7:00PM | Michigan City |
| Thursday April 25th | Valparaiso University | 1600 Chapel Dr. Helge Center Multipurpose Room | Open House 6:00PM – Public Hearing 7:00PM | Valparaiso |
If you cannot attend in person, and wish to comment on these documents, please visit the comment pages listed below:
Draft NWI 2050 Plan: http://bit.ly/NWI2050PlanComment
Draft 2020-2024 TIP: http://bit.ly/20-24TIPComment
Draft Transportation Conformity: http://bit.ly/AirQualityConformityComment
To request alternate formats for the Open House and Public Hearing, please contact Mary Thorne at NIRPC at least 48 hours prior at (219) 763-6060 extension 131 or at mthorne@nirpc.org. Individuals with hearing impairments may contact us through the Indiana Relay 711 service by calling 711 or (800) 743-3333.