One of NIRPC’s major responsibilities as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Lake, Porter and LaPorte Counties is to conduct the long-range planning and short-range programming for the federal programs that support the region’s local public transit operators. Use of these federal funds requires the development of a long range plan, with priorities and criteria to select projects based on the plan’s recommendations, and a four-year investment Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Use of the federal transit funds also requires the involvement of users and operators of public and private transit services in planning for public transportation.
While not an MPO responsibility, NIRPC also serves as a recipient for federal transit funds on behalf of 7 providers of public transit. This role helps to minimize administration and oversight costs for the participating operators. NIRPC applies for and receives funds on behalf of East Chicago Public Transit, North Township Dial-A-Ride, South Lake County Community Services, Opportunity Enterprises, Porter County Aging and Community Services, City of Valparaiso V-Line and DASH, and the City of La Porte TransPorte.
Any questions regarding transit may be directed to Stephen Hughes, Public Transit & Engagement Planner, by phone at 219.254.2512 or by email at shughes@nirpc.org.
Northwestern Indiana Transit Asset Management Plans
Transit asset management (TAM) is the strategic and systematic practice of procuring, operating, inspecting, maintaining, rehabilitating and replacing transit capital assets to manage their performance, risks, and costs over their life cycles to provide safe, cost-effective, and reliable public transportation. TAM uses transit asset condition to guide how to manage capital assets and prioritize funding to improve or maintain a state of good repair. TAM plans are a requirement of the federal government.
- Michigan City Transit Asset Management Plan: PDF
- Gary Public Transportation Corporation (GPTC) Transit Asset Management Plan: PDF
- Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) transit asset management plan: PDF
- Northwestern Indiana Transit Asset Management Group Plan for small transit providers: PDF
Coordinated Transit Plan for NWI
This Coordinated Transit Plan is an effort to improve the accessibility of the overall transit system in Northwestern Indiana to individuals with disabilities, people who are low income, and people who are elderly. In order to improve the accessibility of the system, this plan used data and other information collected from transit operators, human service organizations, partner agencies, and the public to develop a set of regional needs and service gaps. These needs and service gaps were then matched to proposed goals to improve the connectivity and efficiency of the transit system and ultimately, funding priorities.
Other Transit Plans
City of Hobart Transit Feasibility Study:
- City of Hobart Transit Feasibility Study Newsletter
- Feasibility Study – Range of Transit Alternatives (Draft – May 2016)
City of PortageTransit Feasibility Study:
- Feasibility Study – Range of Transit Alternatives (Draft – May 2016)
Public Transit Operators in Northwest Indiana
Bus Transit Providers:
- Gary Public Transportation Corp.
- East Chicago Public Transit
- North Township Dial A Ride
- Opportunity Enterprises
- Porter County Aging Community Services
- Transporte City of La Porte
- Michigan City Transit
- City of Valparaiso V-Line and Chicago Dash
- Lake County Community Services
Passenger/Commuter Rail Providers:
- Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (South Shore Line)
- AMTRAK
Transit Services in Northwest Indiana
