NIRPC to hold public comment period on an amendment to the 2026 – 2030 Transportation Improvement Program

The Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) will hold a 21-day public comment period on an amendment to the 2026-2030 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The comment period begins on October 6 and will end on October 27, 2026. Amendment #26-09.1 contains:

The proposed changes included in Amendment #26-09.1 can be found HERE.

Amendment #26-09.1 contains:

For INDOT – 3 Projects:

• 1 Environmental Mitigation Project – One new project in the current TIP (Carry over from previous TIP);
• 1 Pavement Overlay Project – Adding a new phase to the project;
• 1 Lighting Project – New project.

For locally sponsored projects – 7 Projects for the municipalities of Cedar Lake, Dyer, Merrillville, Michigan City, Munster, Portage, and Valparaiso:

• 5 Trail projects – Adding additional funding in two projects; adding a phase in three projects:
• 2 Pavement Reconstruction/Rehabilitation – Adding additional funds to one project; adding a phase in another project.

NIRPC’s TIP is a short-range financial and spending plan for the utilization of federal transportation funding and for regionally significant projects. These federal funds can be used for highway, transit, and non-motorized transportation projects. NIRPC’s TIP includes projects undertaken by municipalities, counties, transit operators, and the State of Indiana. Federal planning regulations guide the preparation and development of the TIP documents. Projects may be viewed at https://rtip.nirpc.org/ by clicking the TIP Amendments tab.

Comments may be submitted until October 27, 2027, in the following ways:

• Online: Public Comment Form
• Email: co******@***pc.org
• Phone: 219-763-6060
• United States Postal Service: NIRPC, 6100 Southport Road, Portage, IN 46368

All comments received during the 21-day public comment period will be compiled into a public comment report and responded to. This report will be made available to the public and distributed to the relevant NIRPC committees prior to any action on these items. It is anticipated that action will be taken at the November 10, 2026, meeting of the Transportation Committee, followed by the November 19, 2026, meeting of the NIRPC Board of Commissioners.

Documents and information will be available for review at NIRPC’s website at www.nirpc.org. Requests for alternative formats may be directed to NIRPC by calling 219-763-6060, or by email at co******@***pc.org. TTY users may use the Relay Indiana service by calling 711 or 800-743-3333.

NIRPC is the Metropolitan Planning Organization and Council of Governments for La Porte, Lake, and Porter counties in Northwest Indiana. Working collaboratively across the region, NIRPC coordinates regional comprehensive planning and programming for transportation, economic development, and environmental policy.