Connected NWI
NWI’s people have accessible, safe, and equal
opportunities for working, playing, living and learning.
Spotlight
The majority of NIRPC’s planning activities start on July 1st of each year and with our “New Year” NIRPC would like to share some of the planning activities now underway for a Connected NWI . In FY2020, the following tasks will be undertaken:

ADA Bus Stop Inventory - each bus stop along a fixed transit route throughout Northwestern Indiana will be evaluated for its compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Each municipality will then have to include non-compliant locations in their ADA Transition Plans.

Bicycle Sharing Opportunities and Model Ordinance - a map of ideal areas within Northwestern Indiana for bicycle sharing will be created. Coupled with a model ordinance, this task hopes to assist local municipalities to consider bicycle sharing as an additional mobility option to pursue for the residents.

Bicycle Tourism Strategies - modeling the Trail Towns concept, this task will highlight tourism opportunities in Northwestern Indiana near our growing multi-use trail network.

Critical Urban / Rural Freight Corridor Designations - The FAST Act created the National Highway Freight Program (NHFP) and provided the opportunity to Metropolitan Planning Organizations larger than 500,000 people, to designate critical freight corridors. The designation allows for the corridor to be eligible to receive NHFP funds from Federal Highway Administration and administered by the Indiana Department of Transportation.

Follow this newsletter and NIRPC’s social media for updates on these planning activities and opportunities to participate.
Economy and Place
Environment
Mobility
FarmHop Event
Join the NWI Food Council on the 3rd annual FarmHop - a great opportunity to hop on a bus to explore local farms and connect with the amazing work that takes place every day on the farms that grow the region’s food. The tours include diverse urban and rural local farms, community gardens and local food projects in Northwest Indiana. Tour dates include August 10th and September 21st, 2019 from 9am-4pm (individual tour times may vary slightly).

For registration information, visit www.NWIFoodCouncil.org or find NWI Food Council on Facebook. 

The NWI Food Council is a multi-stakeholder alliance that works to build a just, sustainable and thriving locally-oriented food system for Northwest Indiana through networking, education, advocacy and various projects. 

Lake County Eats Local
As part of the NWI 2050 Plan strategy to continue and strengthen the local food system, the Lake County Eats Local Program establishes farmers markets in the Gary and East Chicago neighborhoods and works to build market capacity in order to create permanent and sustainable food access for residents. Funded by the USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program, this three year program is a collaboration between the Legacy Foundation , NWI Food Council , Purdue University Cooperative Extension , City of Gary Department of Environmental Affairs/Green Urbanism, and City of East Chicago to build a more cohesive local food system, address high rates of poverty and food insecurity in northern Lake County. The farmers markets began in June and will run for 16 weeks. The “Market On the Go” program will run throughout the year, visiting different locations each week of operation. Visit https://www.lakecountyeatslocal.org/ for more details.
The CommuniTree Program goal is to plant at least 1,500 native trees by fall 2020 to help offset urban tree canopy loss from emerald ash borer. Funding for this project is made possible through a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant awarded to the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission by the USDA Forest Service. Applications are now being accepted for the 2019 fall planting season. Trees must be planted in public spaces such as parks, schools, churches and along public roadway easements within Northwest Indiana’s Lake Michigan Watershed ( MAP ). Eligible applicants include municipalities, schools, churches, conservation organizations and other public entities. Applications are due Friday, August 2, 2019. Anticipated Notice of Award Date is Friday, August 23, 2019. Finally, anticipated Tree Planting & Care Workshop and tree pick up date is estimated for the third week of September.

Interesting news:

The recently adopted 2020-2024 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is the portfolio of Northwestern Indiana's upcoming capital investments and projects to improve our transportation program. The projects are categorized into one of thirteen programs. There are five transit programs to help make NWI connected: Operations , Asset Management , Customer Experience , Expansion , and Safety . Below are highlights of each programs' five-year investments for our bus operators throughout Northwestern Indiana.
  • Transit Operations / $55,615,719 / This program includes funding for Complementary Paratransit service for users who cannot use fixed routes due to disability, funding to assist with the operation of transit systems, and funding for equipment related to the operations of transit services.
  • Transit Asset Management / $39,511,449 / This program includes funding to keep existing transit vehicles, equipment, or facilities in a state of good repair.
  • Transit Customer Experience / $1,150,000 / This program includes funding to improve waiting facilities for transit riders, such as bus stops.
  • Transit Expansion / $4,523,000 / This program includes funding from Federal Highway Administration's Congestion Mitigation Air Quality funds to pilot new service, in addition to transit vehicle purchases to add capacity.
  • Transit Safety / $273,000 / This program includes funding to improve the safety and security of transit.

Interesting news:
  • Transit Means Access to Talent - Metropolitan Planning Council
  • Early details on the next federal transportation bill, a substantial source of transportation funding in NWI, suggest a large increase in funding and new programs - Politico
Participate!
NIRPC Technical Planning Committee
  • August 13th
  • 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
FarmHop #1
  • August 10th
  • 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
  • Gary or Valparaiso
  • Questions? Contact Gabrielle Biciunas at 219-254-2507
  • Link to more info
Share a Comment!
  • Engage NWI, the draft Public Participation Plan is available for public comment until August 5th. Review the plan here and share a comment here.
NIRPC Commission / Executive Board Meeting
  • August 15th
  • 9:00 AM
  • Lake Michigan Room, 6100 Southport Road Portage, IN 46368
  • Link for more information
  • Questions? Contact Mary Thorne at 219-254-2516
  • Can’t make it in person? Watch it on YouTube
Rail Task Force Meeting
  • August 27th
  • 1:30 PM
  • Lake Michigan Room, 6100 Southport Road Portage, IN 46368
  • Questions? Contact Mitch Barloga at 219-254-2518
Funding Opportunity!
  • The CommuniTree Program partners are happy to announce that community applications are now being accepted for the Fall 2019 tree planting season. Applications are due August 2nd.
NIPRC Transportation Resources Oversight Committee / Lake and Porter
  • August 27th
  • 9:00 AM
  • Lake Michigan Room, 6100 Southport Road Portage, IN 46368
  • Link for more information
  • Questions? Contact Charles Bradsky at 219-254-250
Indiana Land Use Summit
  • August 28th
  • 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
  • Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds and Conference Complex 1900 East Main Street Danville, Indiana 46122
  • Link to more info
Funding Opportunity!
  • INDOT's second round of 2019 Community Crossing Grants applications are open until August 2nd.
NIPRC Transportation Resources Oversight Committee / LaPorte
  • August 27th
  • 1:00 PM
  • 250 Pine Lake Avenue La Porte, IN 46350
  • Link for more information
  • Questions? Contact Charles Bradsky at 219-254-2509
National Drive Electric Week EV Ride & Drive
  • September 19th
  • 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM
  • 6100 Southport Road Portage, IN 46368
  • Link to more info
Funding Opportunity!
NIPRC Environmental Management and Policy Committee
  • September 5th
  • 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
FarmHop Event #2
  • September 21st
  • 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
  • Valparaiso
  • Questions? Contact Gabrielle Biciunas at 219-254-2507
  • Link to more info
Employment Opportunity!