NIRPC Board Names New Executive Director Tyson Warner Will Start January 1, 2013 As NIRPC’S Fourth Executive Director

Fall 2012 Issue

NIRPC Board Names New Executive Director Tyson Warner will start January 1, 2013 as NIRPC’s fourth Executive Director

The Northwestern Indiana Beverly Shores appointed an Regional Planning Commis- Executive Director Search sion (NIRPC) unanimously Committee, which was led by appointed Tyson (Ty) Warn- Ken Layton, La Porte County er of the Flint Hills Regional Commission Chairman. An Council to succeed John executive search firm, The Swanson as its next Execu- Mercer Group was engaged to tive Director. Following an work with the committee in executive session in its of- its recruitment, screening and fice in Portage on October evaluation activities. Ap- 29, 2012, the full Commis- proximately two hundred and sion voted 34-0 to approve fifty applications were re- the two-year contract for ceived, but Warner was the Warner’s services com- unanimous recommendation mencing on January 1, 2013. of the Search Committee for Warner will serve as the the Executive Director post. fourth NIRPC executive di- Layton remarked, “Ty match- rector in the organization’s es up exceptionally well with forty-seven year history. the planning and leadership Warner previously skills we were looking for in served as the Planning Di- our new director. Northwest rector of the Will County Indiana and NIRPC will be Land Use Department in Jo- the beneficiaries of his out- liet, Illinois from 1997 – standing qualifications.” 2006. In 2006, he was Tyson Warner, NIRPC’s new Executive Director Chairman Benson also lauded named as the Director of the appointment. “We were Planning for the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commis- looking for someone who could advance NIRPC’s agen- sion, which was subsequently merged into the Chicago da in the areas of transportation, land use, environment, Metropolitan Agency for Planning. He left the Chicago economic development and social equity, and Ty Warner regional planning agency in 2010 to become the inaugu- is a solid choice to move us in that direction.” ral Executive Director of the Flint Hills Regional Coun- Warner was the recipient of the 2009 Distin- cil, which serves the Fort Riley, Kansas area. Warner guished Service Award from the Illinois Chapter of the received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from American Planning Association “for exemplary commit- Wheaton College in 1988 and a Master of Urban Plan- ment to the planning profession.” He currently serves as ning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chica- a member of the Executive Directors Council of the Na- go in 1995. tional Association of Regional Councils. He is married Following Swanson’s retirement announcement and has one daughter. in March of this year, NIRPC Chair Geof Benson of

Ground Broken for Portage’s 2012 NIRPC Executive Board

Chairman…………………………..…….Geof Benson Northside Trail Beverly Shores Town Council NIRPC Office will be trailhead for the newest Vice-Chairman…………..………………..David Uran section of the Marquette Greenway Mayor of Crown Point

Treasurer………………..…………….Brian Snedecor Mayor of Hobart

Secretary……………...…………………….Blair Milo Mayor of La Porte

Executive Board…………………Roosevelt Allen, Jr. Lake County Commission

Executive Board…...…...Thomas M. McDermott, Jr. The first shovefuls of dirt are thrown at the groundbreaking for Mayor of Hammond the Northside Trail at NIRPC on October 23, 2012. Executive Board……………...………...Nancy Adams On October 23, officials from Portage, NIRPC and Porter County Commission Congressman Peter Visclosky’s office held a ground-

Executive Board……..……………………….Jim Ton breaking ceremony for the 1.3 mile Portage Northside Trail network. The project will create a loop trail around Chesterton Town Council the NIRPC office, and a critical link east to SR 249 into the Amerplex development, where Bass Pro Shops are Executive Board……………….…………Ken Layton located. The trail will be multi-surfaced and include 0.6 LaPorte County Commission miles of paved trail, 0.5 miles of soft-surface pedestrian trail and 400 feet of pre-cast boardwalk over a drainage Executive Board…………….……….Robert Schaefer ditch. The project will also include preservation of exist- Long Beach Town Council ing stream habitat, an additional 3 acres of native prairie and the planting of over 200 trees. The project will serve Executive Board………………………..Chester Dobis as a critical link in the 3-state Marquette Greenway sys- Indiana State Representative tem, and will provide safety measures for those crossing SR 249. The project is expected to be completed by late

November, with landscaping to finish next spring. Executive Director……………………..John Swanson NIRPC Map of the Northside Trail

Requests for alternate formats, please contact Stephen Sostaric at NIRPC at (219) 763-6060 extension 155 or at [email protected]. Individuals with hearing impairments may contact us through the Indiana Relay 711 service by calling 711 or (800) 743-3333. The Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, marital status, familial status, parental status, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, repris- al, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program.

Changes Ahead with New Federal Transportation Bill By: Bill Brown & Belinda Petroskey not on NHS. Projects on the NHS are to be selected by the states with cooperation of the MPO. MAP-21 provides the authorization for the USDOT to continue collecting 18.4 cents per gallon tax on gasoline, What’s New for Public Transit in MAP-21 which provides the primary source of revenue into the MAP-21 makes several important changes in transit Highway Trust Fund. The authorization provides this programs and planning requirements that will impact money to the highway and transit programs provided by northwest Indiana bus and rail public transportation. The states, local governments and transit agencies. The act role of transit operators is strengthened by calling for their changes some of the formulas used to distribute the money inclusion on MPO boards. For NIRPC, this will trigger a and some of the programs that the funds facilitate. change in our state enabling statute. This will add at least MAP-21 eliminates most discretionary programs and one agency to the NIRPC board and may impact the earmarks. The Bridge, Interstate Maintenance and Na- weighted voting structure that we now have. tional Highway System (NHS) are consolidated into Na- Another important change is the direct funding of pro- tional Highway Performance Program. jects that were previously funded under the Jobs Access The act expands NHS Routes to include all principal Reverse Commute (JARC) and New Freedoms programs. arterials and intermodal connectors. This adds Ridge Eligible activities under the JARC program are now in- Road and other similar roads under local jurisdiction to cluded as options under the Section 5307 program. The the National Highway System. For this program, the act New Freedom program is now in the Section 5310 pro- requires an asset management Plan, with goals established gram, which now provides operating as well as capital at the national level, and targets for condition and perfor- assistance for transit service for elderly and disabled. mance established at the state level. While the JARC changes do not entail additional funds, Eligibility for funding under the Surface Transporta- the Section 5310 program will now include the New Free- tion Program (STP) is expanded to all public roads for dom funds as a direct distribution of dedicated funds to safety and bridge projects, not just collectors and arterials large and small urban areas and to the state for rural areas. as in the past. The STP is also available for transportation Section 5329 establishes a new comprehensive frame- enhancements, recreational trails, Safe Routes to Schools work to oversee the safety of public transportation nation- and truck parking facilities. wide. FTA will be required to develop safety performance The act doubles the size of the Highway Safety Im- criteria for all modes of public transportation and safety provement Program, and maintains a set-aside for rail- performance standards for vehicles not regulated by other highway grade crossings. The act also adds a requirement Federal agencies. FTA must develop a public transporta- for regular updates of the Strategic Highway Safety Plan. tion safety certification training program for individuals MAP-21 requires performance plans to include air involved in transit safety. All recipients of FTA funding quality and congestion measures for access to Congestion must develop agency safety plans that include perfor- Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) funds. A portion of mance targets, strategies and staff training. These new CMAQ funds must be used to reduce fine particle emis- measures and targets must be incorporated into the MPO sions. The act also clarifies the eligibility for the use of and statewide TIPs. CMAQ funds for facilities serving electric or natural gas- The largest of FTA’s grant programs, Section 5307, is fueled vehicles and expands the authority to use these the source of most of the funds that support public transit funds for transit operations. The act requires a study to in the region. An important change in this program is the assess the outcomes of CMAQ funding. eligibility of operating expenses for operators with no The Transportation Alternatives (TA) program in- more than 100 buses. This means GPTC, East Chicago cludes most of the old Transportation Enhancement pro- and Michigan City may use Section 5307 funds for oper- gram, recreational trails and Safe Routes to Schools. Half ating. This will now allow them to cover expenses such as of the program is suballocated and half of the program can drivers’ salaries that are not currently covered. be transferred to other programs at the states’ discretion. MAP-21 also includes changes in the MPO and states’ MAP-21 places a higher emphasis on performance multimodal transportation planning requirements. Both management. Goals are set at the national level, targets are now required to establish performance targets that ad- are set at the state level and metropolitan transportation dress national performance measures issued by FTA and plans must describe how the MPO will use the program FHWA. TIPs must now include a description of the pro- and project selection to help achieve the targets. States gress anticipated in meeting the performance measures as must report to the USDOT on progress toward meeting the a result of implementing the TIP. Five years after MAP- targets. If the NHS falls below the established thresholds, 21, the U.S. DOT will report to Congress on the effective- some corrective actions are to be anticipated. ness of performance-based planning and assess the tech- As with SAFETEA-LU and prior authorizations, the nical capacity of MPOs in smaller areas to undertake per- MPOs serving populations over 200,000 select all projects formance-based planning.

New Commission Charged with The Northwest Indiana Lakefront Redevelopment Watershed Management Boom By: Jody Melton By: Joe Exl In 1985 the Indiana General Assembly created the Our region Lake Michigan Marina Development Commission has come a (LMMDC) to spur marina development in Northwest long way in Indiana. In 2001 the Indiana General Assembly cre- dealing with ated the Lake Michigan Shoreline Development nonpoint Commission to prepare a master plan for the develop- source pollu- ment and redevelopment of Indiana’s Lake Michigan tion (NPS) Watershed. Both commissions were dissolved and issues in a the Indiana General Assembly created the Lake short period Michigan Marina and Shoreline Development Com- of time. A mission (LMMSDC) in 2011. little more LMMSDC is charged with developing a compre- than ten years hensive environmental master plan for redevelopment ago, North- and development within the Lake Michigan corridor. west Indiana Upon completion, the Commission will make deci- did not have a sions on environmental grants and monitor the imple- single state-approved watershed management plan mentation of the master plan. (WMP). Today we have six, with another in the ear- The Commission has sixteen voting members: the ly stages of development. Combined, these water- six mayors of the lakefront cities; two representatives sheds account for a 371mi² area or roughly 25% of from different steel companies owning Lake Michi- Northwest Indiana. While WMPs only currently exist gan shoreline; one representative from BP; one repre- in the Lake Michigan drainage, that is rapidly chang- sentative from NIPSCO; one representative for Burns ing, too, with groups expressing interest in WMP de- Harbor, Chesterton and Porter; one representative for velopment in the Kankakee sub-basin, specifically Beverly Shores, Dune Acres, and Ogden Dunes; one the Singleton Ditch watershed in Lake County and Democrat and one Republican from both the Indiana the Mill Creek-Kankakee River watershed in LaPorte House and the Indiana Senate from districts within County. the corridor. Using a watershed approach has so many bene- The non-voting members of this Commission in- fits, especially in a climate in which many communi- clude: one representative from each of the following: ties and organizations have to deal with limited re- the Indiana Departments of Environmental Manage- sources. Addressing NPS is too difficult for any one ment, Natural Resources, and Department of Trans- single group or organization to deal with on its own portation, the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, the effectively. Our most successful WMPs, those that Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor, the Lake County South have moved into implementation, each have common Shore Convention & Visitors Authority, the LaPorte elements in play: diverse stakeholder participation, County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, and the willingness to collaborate, and ability to leverage Porter County Convention, Recreation and Visitors various resources, including financial, knowledge, Commission. and equipment. The Salt Creek and Trail Creek wa- The 23 member Commission has held three meet- tersheds provide us with prime examples of what can ings since May 2012. Currently, they are working be accomplished. While there are subtle differences with NIRPC, the Coastal Shoreline Program of between the two watersheds and the stakeholders IDNR, and other entities to identify information leading the charge, each share these characteristics. needed to begin the process of creating the master Hopefully, this boom will continue to roll. plan to which it is obligated.

Jody Melton is the Executive Director of the Kankakee River Joe Exl is NIRPC’s Senior Water Planner. He can be reached Basin Commission and the Project Director for the LMMSDC. at [email protected], or by phone at 219-763-6060, ext. 137. He can be reached by email at [email protected], or by phone at 219-763-6060, ext. 115.

NIRPC’s New Public Participation Plan

By: Hubert Morgan

NIRPC’s Public Participation Plan (PPP) 2012 cess. NIRPC will work with stakeholders to discuss, opened for public comment on October 9, 2012. The build consensus and prioritize action items to recom- PPP describes how NIRPC will engage the residents mend to the NIRPC Board. and stakeholders of northwest Indiana based on the Internally, NIRPC staff will also evaluate the unprecedented outreach NIRPC used for the 2040 techniques they used to inform the public, and will Comprehensive Regional constantly strive to reach as Plan. The PPP will be updat- many of the residents of the ed every four years. The last region as possible through plan was written in 2007, multiple techniques. After and unlike most transporta- meetings are held, reports tion plans, which require a will be sent to the partici- minimum 30-day public pants, posted to NIRPC’s comment period, the PPP website, and on social media requires a minimum 45-day to reveal what participants public comment period. discussed at the meeting. With the assistance of the The PPP represents the Public Participation Task course of action NIRPC as- Force, composed of stake- pires to for future planning holders and citizens from Top: Youths participate in a keypad polling exercise as projects and initiatives. The Lake, LaPorte and Porter part of a youth workshop in Hammond. public, along with our com- Counties, the mission state- Bottom: An example of a keypad polling slide. missioners and committee ment, goals, objectives and members, provide invalua- techniques were revised. The ble information that leads to Task Force also suggested the better planning and strengthens use of social media, such as the quality of life in Northwest Facebook and Twitter, and Indiana. NIRPC hopes that you strongly encouraged the en- take the time to review the gagement of Northwest Indi- PPP, and provide suggestions ana youth in NIRPC’s plan- to help NIRPC improve the ning initiatives. plan. The new PPP includes a Also, please feel free to share section on how NIRPC will information about NIRPC with engage the public about the your family and friends. We Transportation Improvement have three Facebook pages Program (TIP). Minor stand- that people can visit: North- ard amendments to the TIP will have a minimum 5- western Indiana Regional Planning Commission day public comment period, and major standard (NIRPC), INvolve Northwest Indiana, and Splash. amendments will have a minimum 30-day comment NIRPC’s website, www.nirpc.org, is regularly updat- period. The outcome of this new process is to provide ed with new content and information about our regu- insight to the residents of the region on what munici- larly scheduled meetings and other events hosted by palities and projects NIRPC spends its transportation us. dollars, as well as ensuring that the projects are up- dated regularly on its website. Hubert Morgan is NIRPC’s Public Involvement Coordi- The PPP also has a new chapters dedicated to de- nator. Email: [email protected]. Search Involve North- signing and evaluating the public participation pro- west Indiana to connect on Facebook.

Meet the Commissioner. . . Meet the NIRPC Staff. . . Commissioner Nancy Adams John Swanson was appointed as represents the Porter County NIRPC’s third executive director in Commission and is a member of August, 2004. As such, he directs the NIRPC’s Executive Board, as overall planning and operating activ- well as the chair of the Pathway ities of NIRPC. to 2040 Implementation Commit- Mr. Swanson was born and raised tee and a member of the Trans- in Chicago and continued to live portation Policy Committee. there after earning his undergraduate Born and raised in Chaska, Minnesota, she moved degree from DePaul University and to the region to study business at Valparaiso Univer- his masters’ degree from the University of Wisconsin sity. During her sophomore year, she began working -Madison. From 1973 to 2003, he worked at the at Strongbow Inn, and it was during this time that she Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC), met her husband. They still work together every day. starting as a project review coordinator and retiring Commissioner Adams was elected to the Porter as Deputy Director. County Commission in 2011. In addition to being Mr. Swanson is now a resident of Beverly Shores president of the Porter County Plan Commission, she with Mary Kay, his wife of 42 years. They have four is also part of other boards and committees, such as grown children and six grandchildren. As a “closet the Northwest Indiana Economic Development Dis- Parrothead,” he enjoys attending Jimmy Buffett con- trict, Community Corrections Board, and the Child certs. He is also an avid collector of beach glass, a Protection Board. hobby he loves sharing with his grandchildren. She currently lives in Valparaiso with her husband Earlier this year, Mr. Swanson announced that he and three children, ages 24, 22, and 18. A self- will be retiring at the end of the year. As far as post- described thrill seeker, Commissioner Adams recent- retirement plans, he plans to continue to live in the ly went skydiving in Phoenix. She has helped raise region and hopes to stay professionally active. Mr. over $150,000 for the fight against multiple sclerosis, Swanson will also continue volunteering with the including a 500 mile bike-a-thon. church and advocacy groups.

NIRPC’s Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) By: Eman Ibrahim This Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) is an attempt to focus financial planning resources and staff where they will be the most effective in responding to significant local and regional issues, and resolving area-wide problems. The UPWP is based on state and federal transportation planning requirements, regional priorities, and annual emphasis areas. In addition to these requirements, NIRPC developed its long and short-range planning and programming in re- sponse to the implementation of the 2040 Comprehensive Regional Plan and NIRPC’s Vision and Strategic Directions. The UPWP balances the available resources, long and short-range planning and programming; special studies; data gathering, analysis and dissemination; computer modeling; public involvement; and program administration. It also describes other planning, administrative and program offerings by NIRPC in its role as a council of governments. It includes all environmental and economic development planning, as well as transit administration, which includes sub-grantee oversight, grant administration and procurement. In addition, it includes additional significant planning projects by other agencies, especially any studies and plans supported with federal funds. The UPWP covers the period beginning July 1, 2013 and ending June 30, 2014 with a total budget of $3,615,795 for FY2013 and $3,891,372 for FY2014. Funds for completing the work elements in the UPWP come from the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, Indiana Department of Trans- portation, grants, and other state and local resources. Eman Ibrahim is NIRPC’s Planning Manager. Email: [email protected] , or by phone at 219-763-6060, ext. 135.