Resources

As part of its extensive planning for the West Lake Corridor Project, the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) has determined that 157 total parcels need to be acquired along the corridor (either full or partial takes) in order to implement the Project. NICTD began providing offers on properties in 2019, and is anticipated to complete this process in 2021.

NICTD is following the guidelines of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, as amended, along with state regulations to ensure fair and cooperative agreements for property acquisitions between NICTD and property owners.

If a property purchase is required, the acquisition process is as follows:

NICTD contacts the real property owner or owner’s representative to explain the acquisition process, including the right to accompany the appraiser during inspection of the property, and provides the owner with a written notice of NICTD’s intent to acquire the property. (Consultant Beam, Longest and Neff prepared independent appraisals of affected properties.)
NICTD provides the owner with a written offer of the approved estimate of just compensation for the real property to be acquired and a summary statement of the basis for the offer.
NICTD gives the property owner an opportunity to consider the offer for at least 30 days.
NICTD conducts negotiations without any attempt to coerce the property owner into reaching an agreement.
NICTD provides the property owner or tenant with at least 90 days’ written notice to vacate the property before NICTD takes possession.
If negotiations with property owners are not successful, NICTD may acquire the property through eminent domain. If eminent domain is necessary, NICTD will follow the procedures set forth under state laws including Indiana Eminent Domain (Indiana Code § 32-24) and Relocation Assistance (Indiana Code § 8-23-17).

The NICTD real estate team can be reached by leaving a voicemail on the West Lake real estate hotline at 800-382-5206 or by email.

Read more about your rights under applicable federal laws:

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD), in cooperation with the United States Army Corps of Engineers, have prepared a combined Final Environmental Impact Statement/Record of Decision and Section 4(f) Evaluation (FEIS/ROD).

The primary purpose of the combined FEIS/ROD is to present updates to the Project that have occurred since the DEIS, and to respond to substantive comments received during the DEIS public comment period. The ROD states FTA's decision, identifies the alternatives considered in reaching the decision, and describes the means to avoid, minimize, or mitigate impacts. Mitigation plans are included in the ROD. The Final Section 4(f) Evaluation is included in the combined FEIS/ROD.

The project has progressed through Final Design since the publication of the FEIS/ROD. Conceptual station illustrations and elements were revised and refined during Final Design. Station plans remain within the environmental survey boundary analyzed in the FEIS/ROD. View the conceptual station illustrations in the Media Kit. Diagrams are for illustration purposes only and are not to scale. Plans are subject to change.

Notifications

Notice of FEIS/ROD and Section 4(f) Evaluation

FEIS & ROD

Appendices

Appendix A: Document Supporting Information

A1: References
A2: List of Preparers
A3: Recipients/Distribution List
A4: Abbreviations and Acronyms
A2: Glossary
A2: Index

Appendix B: Section 106 Consultation

Appendix C: Section 4f & 6f Evlauation
Appendix D: Public Involvement and Agency Coordination

Appendix E: Engineering Drawings

Appendix F: Transit-Oriented Development Study

Appendix G: Technical Reports

Appendix H: DEIS Comment Response

Hard copies of the FEIS are available at the following locations:

As part of the environmental review process, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and NICTD prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The DEIS describes the purpose and need for the Project, the alternatives considered, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Preferred Alternative, anticipated environmental impacts, Project benefits, and potential mitigation measures.

Notifications

DEIS

Appendices

Hard copies of the DEIS are available at:

An online media kit has been developed to provide media representatives and public information officers with useful information about the Project. Staff is available to discuss the West Lake Project at any time by emailing project.email@nictdwestlake.com.