This grant application will program FFY 2022 2023 and 2024 funds for section 5337 state of good repair formula funding and a partial amount of FFY 2025 section 5307 formula funding

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) $82.1 million under the State of Good Repair Grants Program (CFDA 20.525) on September 8, 2025, with an ultimate completion date of March 30, 2031. This formula grant funds NICTD's commuter rail service operations and infrastructure maintenance for the South Shore Line, which connects northwest Indiana with Chicago, Illinois, including a 7.8-mile spur line currently under construction in Lake County, Indiana. The award obligates Federal Fiscal Year 2022, 2023, and 2024 Section 5337 State of Good Repair formula funds, as well as a partial amount of FFY 2025 Section 5307 formula funding.

The grant finances two primary activities aligned with NICTD's Transit Asset Management plan. Project 1 (Maintenance Overhaul 2024/2025) provides $8.4 million in total project cost funding for preventive maintenance of right-of-way infrastructure including bridges, stations, facilities, track systems, electrical and signal systems, and substations, as well as maintenance of revenue passenger vehicles and support vehicles. Project 2 (State of Good Repair 2022/2023/2024) funds capital improvements including rail car rehabilitation, railcar and network system component improvements, replacement of surveillance equipment, right-of-way capacity improvements, support vehicles, and track and maintenance equipment. NICTD provides a 20% local cost share from its general fund, which comprises proceeds from Indiana's Commuter Rail Service Fund and trackage rights payments from the South Shore freight railroad.

Activities

Project 1 maintenance overhaul project 2024/2025 will provide funding in part for nictds maintenance projects associated with the right of way maintenance (bridges stations and facilities track electrical and signal systems and substations) as well as maintenance of nictds equipment revenue passenger vehicles and support vehicles. This funding will be used to finance in part the direct labor costs of these preventive maintenance projects as well as eligible purchases associated with the maintenance. The total project cost is $8438177 with the 20% local share ($1687636) coming from nictds general fund which consists of proceeds from the state of indianas commuter rail service fund and trackage rights payments from the south shore (freight) railroad that operates on nictds track and also from nictds allocation of funding from the indiana state public mass transportation fund (pmtf). Pre-award authority is being reserved for this maintenance activity.project 2 state of good repair project 2022/2023/2024 will provide funding in part for nictds state of good repair capital projects. Nictds capital project program is compiled in consideration of the transit asset management (TAM) plan. At this time nictds system is considered to be in a state of good repair and this grant will assist in maintaining that status. Activities funded under this grant will include rail car rehabilitation railcar and network system component improvements replacement surveillance equipment right of way capacity improvements support vehicles track and maintenance equipment traction power system improvements rail system engineering and a rail car rolling stock lease. Pre-award authority is being reserved for these activities. The total project costs for these projects is $81574399 with the 20% local share ($16314880) coming from nictds general fund which consists of proceeds from the state of indianas commuter rail service fund and trackage rights payments from the south shore (freight) railroad that operates on nictds track. Pre-award authority is being reserved for this maintenance activity.

Expected outcomes

This grant will result in the continuation of nictds ongoing rail car rehabilitation program replacement of support vehicles and track equipment lease payments for the rail car rolling stock lease between nictd and metra the continuation of the rehabilitation of nictds existing substations the capacity improvement program on the MED corridor computer infrastructure.

Intended beneficiaries

Nictds work on these capital projects will benefit the service provided to commuters on our service. All work under this grant will assist in nictd maintaining its federally funded assets in a state of good repair as well as providing a more reliable and safe service.