The South Shore Line (SSL) connects Northwest Indiana to Millennium Station in downtown Chicago, Illinois. This transportation option attracts commuters as well as tourists with links to businesses, attractions and additional travel options. Through its 20-year Strategic Business Plan, the SSL envisions improvements to access South Bend with a more direct route to the rail station. To achieve this goal, a planning/engineering study has been initiated for a potential reroute into the airport.
The City of South Bend had previously asked NICTD to put their South Bend Airport Reroute Environmental Assessment and Preliminary Engineering Studies on hold, pending the results of the work that is being performed as outlined by the South Bend City Council Resolution No. 4666-17. The City of South Bend has subsequently released their report on potential South Bend station locations for the South Shore Line.
The South Shore, South Bend Airport, St. Joseph County and City of South Bend are discussing the report conclusions and are working towards a mutual agreement on the alignment and station location(s), in which to advance for consideration.
In conjunction with other projects, travel time between South Bend and Chicago is expected to be substantially reduced to just 90 minutes.
The South Shore Line (SSL) will be able to operate more trains during rush hour, improving service frequency and making the service more attractive to non-riders.
This unique opportunity will strengthen the local economy, spark investments, and attract new residents.
Local Growth
