Ice Miller Represents Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority in Historic Commuter Rail Expansion

Ice Miller LLP represented the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority in connection with the NWI Rail Projects, helping to create the largest expansions of commuter rail systems in the state’s history. 

The two projects represent a nearly $2 billion investment in capital projects, with an estimated  $3 billion overall economic impact to the region and the state in the next 20 years. The Double Track Project adds nearly 18 miles of new track over a 26-mile corridor along the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District’s existing South Shore Line between Gary, Indiana and Michigan City, Indiana and makes multiple improvements to the existing line, while the West Lake Project adds a new line approximately 8 miles within Lake County from Hammond to the Munster/Dyer line. This work also includes transit development districts within the communities and surrounding areas where the rail runs.

Ice Miller developed and advocated for the projects’ procurement and financing legislation allowing for the delivery of the coordinated projects by three state-related entities.  The Firm also supported and acquired the significant appropriations from the Indiana General Assembly for the projects, developed a credit enhancing mechanism to codify local Lake County government units funding of aspects of the West Lake Corridor Project. The Firm also primarily drafted the agreements between the parties, a first-of-its-kind transit development district statute in the state and provided overall strategic counsel and messaging to the state and local government and agencies.

The Ice Miller team was lead by partners Sebastian Smelko, Rebecca Seamands, Phil Genetos and Audrey Howard.
 

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