Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) proposed constructing a more direct route to the South Bend International Airport, relocating the South Shore Line (SSL) from its current alignment to a more direct route into the airport. The project would include approximately 1.8 miles of new track to connect the mainline to the west side of the South Bend International Airport. It would include single standard NICTD track, an island platform, overhead catenary structures, drainage, positive train control (PTC) compatible signal and communication system, and the appropriate grade crossings with automatic warning devices. The project would include a grade separation of the new track and Lincolnway West, where the roadway would go over the new tracks and would include a span to accommodate the railroad tracks and an access roadway. The project would also include a 1,000-foot siding track to be used during peak times when additional trains are required. The project would accommodate future freight operations that would be a separate project with independent utility and would not impact existing freight operations to the east along the existing mainline. The existing 19 at-grade train crossings in the project limits would be reduced to three along new alignment at Grove Street, Edison Road, and Progress Drive; the current number of three pedestrian at-grade train crossings would be reduced to one at Edison Road. Approximately 56 properties will be impacted, and 11 properties will be acquired for this project and the total project area will be approximately 42 acres.

Metric’s Scope of work included National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) related services, including and Section 106 compliance, the Phase Ia Archaeology Survey, Historic Properties Report and Effects letter, an Environmental Justice investigation, and Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) investigations in response to comments from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during NEPA Early Coordination.. The Phase Ia archaeological survey consisted of systematic shovel testing and disturbance documentation and resulted in the identification of one archaeological site, which was not recommended eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. An addendum Phase Ia archaeological survey was subsequently completed when design plans changed and the project area expanded. The historic properties survey involved a survey of all the properties within the project area and the indirect area of potential effect. The results were presented in a historic properties report. All data was used to update the existing Environmental Assessment (EA) dated 2007, for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), who served as the lead federal agency along with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Federal Rail Administration (FRA) and Federal Highways Administration (FHWA) as cooperating agencies.

This project involved several relocations and Metric coordinated directly with landowners to obtain permission to survey properties prior to the field staff accessing the property. Access to several properties was denied and archaeological survey at their locations will be required once these properties have been acquired as part of the project. Metric participated in regular project planning/design meetings to stay current with the evolving project design.

Metric had the expertise needed to complete all the required tasks and was able to provide multiple consulting services for our client , including the quick response to the EPA requesting PFAS testing in the project.