Hammond hopes to convert rail line to bike path

HAMMOND, Ind. — A South Shore commuter railway spokesman says work will begin this week on removing rails, ties and relay boxes from an out-of-service line that Hammond officials are hoping to convert into a bike path.

Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District spokesman John Parsons tells The Times of Munster that a bike path is a good use of a rail corridor.

Hammond officials contacted the South Shore in the summer to ask whether track material for the old Monon line could be removed because cutting weeds was becoming more difficult.

Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. says converting the corridor to a bike path will make maintenance much easier and less costly.