Businesses in a targeted area in South Haven will receive grants for applications for economic recovery loans and road reclassifications will open funding in Valparaiso and St. John. Commissioners at the Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission discussed transportation and economic development actions during the NIRPC Executive Board on Thursday, March 17, 2022.
A segment of a heavily-travelled local road near Valparaiso, CR 250W, and a planned extension of Cline Ave. in St. John will be reclassified as minor arterial roads, opening funding for design and maintenance work more appropriate for the traffic volume and functional use of the roads.
Additionally, amendments to the programs that manage funds for all federally-funded transportation projects in Lake, Porter, and La Porte counties will shift funding, allowing the communities of Gary, Hobart, Munster, Schererville, and Valparaiso, the counties, INDOT, and the Department of Natural Resources to fund roadway and bridge projects and to enhance bicycle infrastructure. These actions are included as amendments to the 2020-2024 and 2022-2026 Transportation Improvement Programs (TIP), which manage the federal transportation dollars for projects in five-year spans.
A special grant has been made available for businesses within a focused area along US Route 6 in South Haven in unincorporated Porter County to assist with application fees for Recover NWI loans. The Porter County Redevelopment Commission has promised the help for businesses between McCool Rd. and State Road 49 along US 6. While the special grant is specific to the targeted area, the Recover NWI program is open to all qualifying businesses in Lake, Porter, and La Porte Counties. Recover NWI is a pandemic recovery loan program for small and medium-sized business in Lake, Porter, and La Porte counties. Business owners can learn more and apply for loans at www.nirpc.org/recovernwi .
Of the targeted South Haven area, Denarie Kane, Economic Development District Coordinator for NIRPC, said, “NIRPC encourages all eligible businesses to consider taking advantage of this generous offer afforded by the Porter County Redevelopment Commission. The payment of the loan application fee for those businesses located in the targeted geographic area will remove a financial barrier that may be hindering some businesses from applying."
The economic development programs are associated with the Economic Development District (EDD) for Northwest Indiana. NIRPC administers the EDD through the Economic Development Administration.
The Executive Board also approved consulting contracts for Northwest Indiana’s 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, which will project and guide transportation development in the region for a 20-year planning horizon, to succeed the region’s current long-range plan, NWI 2050.
The NIRPC Full Commission will meet next on April 21, 2022. Public participation is welcome.
About NIRPC
NIRPC is the Metropolitan Planning Organization and Council of Governments for Lake, Porter, and La Porte counties in Northwest Indiana. Working collaboratively across the region, NIRPC coordinates regional comprehensive planning and programming for transportation, economic development, and environmental policy.