The RDA’s updated strategic plan proposes to build on the work of pursuing a National Scenic Byway designation for portions of U.S. 12.
To be designated as a National Scenic Byway, a byway must meet the criteria for at least one of six intrinsic qualities: archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and scenic. “We are eager to get started on this effort and in fact already have secured the support of Lake, Porter and LaPorte county tourism agencies for the creation of a scenic byway,” Ziller said. “We have also had preliminary conversations with INDOT and they are receptive to the idea as well.”
The Indiana Dunes National Park has only been an official Indiana Dunes National Park for six years, and the RDA is eager to leverage that still-new designation for the benefit of shoreline communities and the Region at large. According to the National Park Service, the Indiana Dunes National Park saw more than 2.7 million recreational visits in 2024, and studies have pegged its economic impact on local communities at more than $200 million annually. A great deal has already been done along the shoreline by the park service, public organizations like NIRPC, local municipalities and private groups, to improve access, expand amenities and otherwise bolster the visitor experience.
A scenic byway designation will provide another tool for shoreline communities to bolster tourism and local economies through coordinated efforts and investments that enhance the visitor experience, and expand access to and use of the lakeshore and the state and national parks. Other shoreline initiatives envisioned by the updated plan include supporting infrastructure improvements such as sanitary sewer connections for lakefront communities still on septic, and acquisition and cleanup of industrial properties as they become available to expand public lakefront amenities. The RDA will also continue to pursue Transit-Oriented Development in the shoreline communities served by the South Shore, including Portage, Porter, Beverly Shores and Pines.
The Regional Development Authority operates out of the Purdue Technology Center, located at 9800 Connecticut Drive, in Crown Point, Indiana. You can read them at 219-644-3500, or www.in.ogv.rda, and www.wnitdd.com
More details about the 2025 update to the RDA’s comprehensive strategic plan can be found at https://www.nwitdd.com/rda-strategic-plan
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About the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority
Established in 2006 through a bipartisan effort including former Governor Mitchell E. Daniels, Congressman Peter J. Visclosky, key state legislators, and local elected officials, the RDA is quasi-governmental development entity entrusted to make public investment decisions within a regional framework for supporting catalytic infrastructure projects and inducing private sector investment. Years of successful results have made it a trusted and tested partner for growth in Northwest Indiana.
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Susie Young Baxter, CEO, has published PanoramaNOW Magazine for 31 years. Her hobbies are Camping, Boating, Hiking, Nature, Gardening and Outdoor Activities. She is an Artist, Graphic Designer, an Avid Seamstress, Dabbles in Homemade Crafts and Landscaping. Since her Father was a Health Teacher, she also likes homeopathic Health Solutions. Since blogging started over 10 years ago, PanoramaNow has been added to Newsbreak – a national news affiliate.
