South Bend Airport: Did It Relocate?

South Bend International Airport is a commercial and freight airport located in St. Joseph County, Indiana, in the United States. The airport has seen several name changes and developments over the years, but did you know that there have been proposals to relocate the airport station? The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District has been considering moving the South Shore Line station to the west side of the airport to shorten travel times and improve efficiency. This move could cut up to 15 minutes off each journey and reduce the number of at-grade crossings. While the proposal has been met with some opposition, the potential benefits have kept it under active consideration.

The South Shore Line station at the airport in South Bend, Indiana, is being relocated to the west side of the airport

The South Shore Line station at the South Bend International Airport in South Bend, Indiana, is being relocated to the west side of the airport. The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) has been working on this relocation plan for almost three years. The current station on the east side of the airport was intended to be a temporary location when it was first opened in 1992. The route that carries the South Shore Line to the current station is slow and circuitous, adding 12 to 15 minutes to the travel time for each train travelling to and from Chicago.

The new location on the west side of the airport will shorten the travelling distance and decrease the number of at-grade crossings. The relocation will also allow for the construction of a rail spur to foster the creation of an intermodal rail-air freight hub at the airport. The NICTD board of trustees has voted to issue a request for proposals to update engineering and environmental planning for the relocation project.

The agreement between the NICTD and the airport authority will allow the railroad to acquire an easement to the airport's west side through an appraisal process. The railroad will also pay the airport an annual fee of $25,000 to use some of its terminal space as a waiting room, and the airport will continue to provide parking for South Shore passengers. The agreement has a duration of 50 years, with options for two 25-year extensions.

The South Shore Line is a commuter rail service that provides a connection between South Bend International Airport and Millennium Station in Chicago. The South Shore Line trains currently take a circuitous route to the airport, heading slightly past it before circling back to approach the terminal from the east. The relocation of the station to the west side of the airport is expected to reduce travel times and improve the efficiency of the commuter rail service.

The relocation will cut travel time by up to 15 minutes

The South Shore Line commuter rail service has been looking to build a new station in South Bend, Indiana, to replace the existing South Bend Airport station. The current station, located on the east side of the airport, was originally intended to be a temporary location for the city's station. The route that carries the South Shore Line to the current station is slow and circuitous, adding more than 10 minutes to the final 2 miles of the journey.

The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) has been considering relocating the station to the west side of the airport. This would cut travel time by up to 15 minutes, as the new route would be shorter and more direct. The NICTD board of trustees has approved an agreement for this new route, which will require approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. The shorter route will also require the railroad to acquire an easement to the airport's west side through an appraisal process.

The relocation of the station is expected to cost between $50 million and $75 million. This is significantly more affordable than the estimated cost of $250 million to build a downtown station, which would require extensive infrastructure work. The NICTD president has emphasised the urgency of securing funding for the project, as the federal funding available for transportation projects is dwindling.

The new station on the west side of the airport is expected to bring several benefits. In addition to reducing travel time, it will decrease the number of at-grade crossings to as few as seven, compared to the twenty-three crossings found in the current east approach to the airport. This will improve safety for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists who have to traverse the intersections. The relocation will also foster the creation of an intermodal rail-air freight hub at the airport, enhancing the airport's connectivity and functionality.

The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District will acquire an easement for the new route through an appraisal process

The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) has reached an agreement to acquire an easement for a new route to the west side of South Bend International Airport. This new route will replace the current circuitous path to the east side of the airport terminal. The agreement, which runs for 50 years with options for two 25-year extensions, will allow NICTD to build a shorter route to the airport, cutting travel times by up to 15 minutes for South Shore Line commuter trains.

The appraisal process for acquiring the easement is pending approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. As part of the agreement, NICTD will also pay the airport $25,000 per year to use some of its terminal space as a waiting room. Additionally, the airport will continue to provide parking for South Shore passengers. Until the move to the new route takes place, NICTD will pay the airport $75,000 annually to maintain operations on the east side.

The South Shore Line trains currently take a slow and winding route to the airport, adding more than 10 minutes to the final 2 miles of the journey. The new route will address this issue by reducing the number of at-grade crossings from twenty-three to as few as seven. This will not only improve travel times but also enhance safety for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists at the intersections.

The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District's decision to acquire the easement through an appraisal process is a crucial step towards improving transportation efficiency and safety for commuters travelling to and from South Bend International Airport.

The South Shore Line currently takes a slow and circuitous route to the airport

The South Shore Line currently takes a slow and circuitous route to South Bend International Airport. The route is considered slow because the line runs on what used to be an industrial siding for Bendix (now Honeywell Aerospace) and a former quarry. The train has to slow to 15 mph because the right-of-way runs between the Honeywell Aerospace employee parking lot and the plant itself. The route is also circuitous because, after heading slightly past the airport, the train must circle back to approach the terminal from the east. This adds an extra 12 to 15 minutes to the journey time for each train travelling to and from Chicago.

The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) has been trying to secure a shorter route into the airport. In December 2024, the NICTD and the airport authority finalised an agreement to allow the railroad to acquire an easement to the airport's west side. This would replace the current, circuitous path to a station on the east side of the airport terminal. The new route would cut up to 15 minutes off travel times for South Shore Line commuter trains.

The South Shore Line's slow and circuitous route to the airport has prompted discussions about relocating the station to the west side of the airport or to the city's downtown. The airport station, which opened in 1990, was intended to be temporary because it could use an existing spur line. In 2006, officials began advancing plans to move the station to the west side of the airport, and these plans gained support again in 2017. However, proposals for alternate locations, such as the South Bend Chocolate Company and downtown South Bend, soon emerged.

The debate over the best location for the South Shore Line station in South Bend continues. While some community leaders argue for a downtown location, citing potential economic benefits, others prefer the west airport option due to the higher cost and logistical challenges of a downtown station. The NICTD has not ruled out the possibility of building a future connection to Downtown South Bend, even if a new station is built on the west side of the airport.

The new route will require approval from the Federal Aviation Administration

The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) has reached an agreement to build a new, shorter route into South Bend International Airport. This would involve moving the South Shore Line station from the east side of the airport to the west side. The current route is considered slow and circuitous, adding 12 to 15 minutes to each train journey to and from Chicago. The new route would save time by reducing the number of at-grade crossings from 23 to as few as seven.

The agreement between NICTD and the airport authority will allow the railroad to acquire an easement to the airport's west side through an appraisal process. However, the new route will require approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The railroad will also pay the airport $25,000 per year to use some of its terminal space as a waiting room. The agreement has a duration of 50 years, with options for two 25-year extensions.

NICTD President Mike Noland has emphasised the urgency of securing funding for the project, citing the dwindling availability of federal funding for transportation projects. The estimated cost of the project is between $50 million and $75 million. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Surface Transportation Act are potential sources of funding that could be leveraged to support the project.

In addition to reducing travel times, the new route is expected to enhance safety by decreasing the number of at-grade railway crossings. The St. Joseph County also has plans to construct a rail spur to this area of the airport, fostering the development of an intermodal rail-air freight hub.

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