Town of Munster Indiana

SOUTH SHORE LINE ANNOUNCES NEWLY APPROVED QUIET ZONE IN HAMMOND AND MUNSTER, INDIANA

CHESTERTON, Ind. – As construction on the Monon Corridor (formerly the West Lake Corridor Rail Project) nears completion, the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD), owner and operator of the South Shore Line, is pleased to announce that the City of Hammond, in coordination with the Town of Munster, has made the final submission to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to establish a railroad Quiet Zone for the Monon Corridor.

In order for this to be possible, NICTD’s West Lake Corridor Rail Project invested in major safety treatments that have been constructed in Hammond and Munster. To provide the new Monon Corridor Service, 10 rail highway at-grade crossings were equipped with state-of-the-art gates, bells and flashers designed to protect vehicular, pedestrian and train traffic and additional non-traversable curb medians designed to discourage motorists from driving around lowered railroad crossing gates. This major investment in enhanced grade crossing safety allowed the City of Hammond and the Town of Munster to request that the FRA make the Monon Corridor right-of-way through Hammond and Munster into what is called a Quiet Zone.

The Public Authority Application to FRA submitted by the City of Hammond, in coordination with the Town of Munster, is in the final steps for approval. The final step for the Quiet Zone to become effective is the issuance of the Notice of Establishment (NOE), which was issued on January 28, 2026. The NOE has been mailed to stakeholders, and the routine sounding of train horns at grade crossings will cease on February 26, 2026. Once fully established on February 26, 2026, the Quiet Zone designation will spare residents from train horn blasts required ahead of each rail-highway grade crossing for NICTD’s Monon Corridor trains operating on the NICTD-owned tracks between Douglas Street in Hammond and Fisher Street in Munster.

“The Quiet Zone designation on the Monon corridor represents a significant quality-of-life improvement for Hammond residents,” said Mayor Thomas M. McDermott, Jr. “Working with NICTD, the Quiet Zones established along multiple crossings in Hammond will increase safety for our residents who utilize the

pedestrian path along the rail corridor while reducing noise impacts neighborhoods – a win for both safety and our community.”

"Munster takes pride in ensuring safe roadways for its residents while offering an excellent infrastructure network,” said Munster Town Manager Jim Marino. “The Quiet Zone will bolster both of these efforts by implementing enhanced safety measures for drivers, pedestrians, and passengers. We look forward to the commencement of safe and quiet train service along the Monon Corridor.”

Train horns will still be used in emergency situations or to comply with other federal regulations, railroad

operating rules, or at the discretion of the engineer. The Quiet Zone, as approved, only applies to NICTD owned Monon Corridor tracks in Hammond and Munster, not tracks owned by other railroads, or to NICTD’s Lakeshore Corridor. Even with the enhanced crossing protection along the Monon Corridor, NICTD reminds all drivers, pedestrians, and passengers to stay alert near railroad crossings, look both ways before crossing railroad tracks, observe all posted signage, and always keep in mind that trains can come from either direction, at any time, and on any track.

“We want to keep all drivers, pedestrians, and passengers safe on our trains and around our tracks, while also being respectful of the communities we serve,” said Nicole Barker, South Shore Line Director of Capital Investment and Implementation. “This is another great milestone achieved for the City of Hammond, Town of Munster, and NICTD, and we thank them for advancing this with the FRA.”

The following public highway-rail grade crossings are included within the approved Quiet Zone along the NICTD-owned Monon Corridor right-of-way:

Hammond

o Douglas Street

o Waltham Street

o Highland Street

o Detroit Street

o Conkey Street

o Kenwood Street

o 165th Street

o 173rd Street

Munster

o Ridge Road

o Fisher Street

“The Monon Corridor project spanning from Hammond to Dyer is nearly complete as testing and work on traction power substations continues,” said South Shore Line President Michael Noland. “We are thrilled to deliver this exciting project to Hammond, Munster, and Dyer in the next few weeks,” he added.

Photos of press release document can be found here