Connected NWI
NWI’s people have accessible, safe, and equal
opportunities for working, playing, living and learning.
Spotlight
Trail Wayfinding Coming This Fall!

The growth of multi-use trails has accelerated in NW Indiana over the last 20 years. Today, there are over 160 miles of these “pedestrian and bicycle superhighways” that connect communities, counties and even states.

However, these trails have developed over time independently of each other, with a municipal entity building their segments within jurisdiction lines. Although these trails do connect with each other, the result of this parochialize approach has left these routes nearly devoid of any signage aiding travelers to where they are, or even what streets they are crossing. This also poses a dilemma for emergency responders. 

This problem will change dramatically over the Fall for two major trail systems. NIRPC has partnered with ten government entities to design and install a number of signage elements along the Erie-Lackawanna Trail in Lake County, and the Prairie-Duneland Trail in Porter County. Taken together this project represents one of the largest collaborative efforts in our Region’s history.

On each trail, a number of signs will be installed as designed in NIRPC’s Unified Wayfinding Guide. These wayfinding elements include community entrance signs, street signs, directional signs, map kiosks, trailhead entrance signs and mile markers. The image below shows how each sign will look when installed.

NIRPC has provided 80% of federal monies to each entity for the development of these signs, which are expected to be installed in October of 2019. NIRPC thanks each community for working together to help make our trails safe and accessible!
Economy and Place
Environment
Mobility
Interesting News!
  • Getting out and active around make us healthier, happier and brainier. According to neuroscientist Shane O’Mara, yes, and in fact he states that getting out and active is one of life’s great pleasures and an often overlooked human superpower. An individuals’s senses work best and are sharpened when moving around. The brain systems that support learning, memory and cognition are the same systems that are affected by stress and depression and also support functions such as cognitive mapping, an individual’s internal GPS system. Moving around and being active bolsters the creative mind and helps ignite an individual’s internal GPS and sense of direction while reducing stress. Moving around is also an essential form of getting from place to place that provides overall health benefits. To learn more, find the full article here.
What are your top reasons for getting out and active?
To take a break
Improve mood
Exercise and health benefits
Other
In 2019, NIRPC environmental staff took on a challenging new role, coordinator for the Chicago Area Waterway System - Aquatic Invasive Species (CAWS-AIS) Stakeholder Group . CAWS is a connects Northwest Indiana with the world. The network of rivers and canals that make up the CAWS connects NWI through the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico and through Lake Michigan to Canada and the Atlantic Ocean.   

NWI businesses use these connections to move materials and products to and from world markets with less cost, traffic, and pollution than cargo transported on road or rail. One downside of this connectivity is the aquatic invasive species (AIS), such as Zebra Mussels, that arrive through waterways. AIS cause enormous ecological harm to Lake Michigan and impacts its $70M/yr fishing industry. Asian Carp is an AIS that has wreaked havoc throughout the Mississippi River system. The CAWS-AIS Stakeholder Group seeks to maintain the benefits of the CAWS connections to Chicago and NWI while preventing exchange of AIS between the Great Lakes and Mississippi basins.
Opportunity to Participate!

NIRPC is seeking your input on what you think of traffic congestion in Northwest Indiana. Please assist us in better understanding your experiences with congestion in Northwest Indiana and what you think can be done to address it in order to help us all collectively plan for a better region.

The survey should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete.

A Congestion Management Process (CMP) federally required for NIRPC to administer in order to plan for and program projects that are in accordance with the CMP. NIRPC last updated its CMP in 2011, and we are planning to adopt our next CMP update in May 2020. Your responses to the survey will help frame our approach to the CMP update. To take the survey, click here.

Pick Your Favorite!
  • Indiana Tourism is running a "people's choice" vote for best brewery, trail, and main street in Indiana. Help make an NWI's brewery and trail standout! Vote daily here until November 3rd. Seven NWI breweries and four trails are in the running!
Participate!
NIRPC Surface Transportation Committee Meeting
  • October 1st
  • 9:00 AM
  • Lake Michigan Room, 6100 Southport Road Portage, IN 46368
  • Link for more information
  • Questions? Contact Scott Weber at 219-254-2520
  • Can’t make it in person? Watch it on YouTube
National Public Lands Day
Share a Comment!
  • An amendment to the 2020-2024 Transportation Improvement Program is out for public comment. To learn more and share a comment follow this link. Comments are due today.
NIRPC Environmental Management and Policy Committee Meeting
  • October 3rd
  • 9:00 AM
  • Lake Michigan Room, 6100 Southport Road Portage, IN 46368
  • Link for more information
  • Questions? Contact Candice Eklund at 219-254-2501
  • Can’t make it in person? Watch it on YouTube
Rail Crossing Task Force Meeting
  • October 1st
  • 1:30 PM
  • Lake Michigan Room, 6100 Southport Road Portage, IN 46368
  • Questions? Contact Mitch Barloga at 219-254-2518
  • Link to more info
Funding Opportunity!
NIRPC Land Use Committee Meeting
  • October 3rd
  • 10:30 AM
  • Dune Room, 6100 Southport Road Portage, IN 46368
  • Link for more information
  • Questions? Contact Eman Ibrahim at 219-254-2506
  • Can’t make it in person? Watch it on YouTube
NIRPC Ped, Pedal, and Paddle Committee Meeting
  • October 3rd
  • 1:30 PM
  • Dune Room, 6100 Southport Road Portage, IN 46368
  • Link for more information
  • Questions? Contact Mitch Barloga at 219-254-2518
  • Can’t make it in person? Watch it on YouTube
NIRPC Technical Planning Committee Meeting
  • October 8th
  • 10:00 AM
  • Lake Michigan Room, 6100 Southport Road Portage, IN 46368
  • Link for more information
  • Questions? Contact Mitch Barloga at 219-254-2518
  • Can’t make it in person? Watch it on YouTube
Walk to School Day
One Region Luncheon
  • October 3rd
  • 11:30 AM -1:30 PM
  • Avalon Manor Banquet Center
  • The panel discussion will host planning professionals and focus on the discussion of Grand Rapids as a leading Midwestern City attracting young professionals and retirees.
  • The panel will include planning professionals such as: Jeff Speck, City Planner and Urban Designer discussing Walkability - an outlook of Hammond Downtown.
  • George Heartwell, Retired Mayor of City of Grand Rapids, Michigan as well as Suzanne Schulz also City of Grand Rapids Managing Director of Design, Development and Community Engagement.
  • Link to more info
Funding Opportunity!
NIRPC Commission/Executive Board Meeting
  • October 17th
  • 9:00 AM
  • Lake Michigan Room, 6100 Southport Road Portage, IN 46368
  • Link for more information
  • Questions? Contact Candice Eklund at 219-254-2501
  • Can’t make it in person? Watch it on YouTube
Indiana Department of Transportation Title VI & ADA Summit
  • October 8th
  • 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
  • Government Center South, Conference Room C, 302 W Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN
  • Link to more info
Funding Opportunity!
  • The Federal Railroad Administration announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity for its Consolidate Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grant program.
  • Applications are due October 18, 2019.
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Natural Gas for Transportation Roundtable
Funding Opportunity!
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Diversity and Inclusion Symposium 2019 - Save the Date
Funding Opportunity!
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Funding Opportunity!