South Shore Line's New West Lake Corridor Route Begins March 31

After decades of planning, the $950 million, 8-mile Monon Corridor rail service will finally launch.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 4:55pm

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The South Shore Line's new West Lake Corridor rail service, now dubbed the Monon Corridor, will begin operations on March 31 after years of delays. The $950 million, 8-mile design-build project by F.H. Paschen Ragnar Benson will extend the rail line from the Hammond Gateway station to the Dyer-Munster station at its southern terminus.

Why it matters

The new Monon Corridor route is expected to increase access to higher-paying jobs in Chicago and attract more residents to Northwest Indiana. The Indiana General Assembly created transit development districts to boost the state's return on its investment in the commuter rail service.

The details

The start of service has been pushed back multiple times due to issues like transformer failures and stray voltage that needed to be addressed. An invitation-only VIP ribbon cutting will be held on March 31 with revenue service beginning afterward around 11 a.m. The new route's schedule is now posted online at mysouthshoreline.com.

  • The $950 million, 8-mile design-build project began construction years ago.
  • Service on the new Monon Corridor route was originally expected to begin about a year and a half ago.
  • The hoped-for start date was recently March 17, St. Patrick's Day, but was pushed back to March 31.

The players

Nicole Barker

Director of Capital Investment and Implementation at NICTD, which operates the South Shore Line.

Mike Noland

Outgoing General Manager and President of NICTD.

David Dech

New General Manager and President of NICTD.

F.H. Paschen Ragnar Benson

A joint venture that was the design-build contractor for the $950 million Monon Corridor project.

Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD)

The agency that operates the South Shore Line commuter rail service.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The new Monon Corridor route's schedule is now posted online at mysouthshoreline.com, and revenue service will begin on March 31 after an invitation-only VIP ribbon cutting ceremony.

The takeaway

The launch of the new Monon Corridor rail service is a major milestone for Northwest Indiana, providing increased access to jobs in Chicago and attracting new residents to the region. The project's long road to completion highlights the challenges of large-scale transit infrastructure investments, but also the potential economic benefits they can bring.