[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14434]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE NORTHWESTERN INDIANA REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 16, 2016

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure and admiration 
that I recognize the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission 
(NIRPC) as the organization celebrates its 50th anniversary.
  Since its inception in 1966 as the Lake-Porter County Regional 
Transportation and Planning Commission, which became NIRPC in 1973, the 
agency continues to play a vital role in the planning and coordination 
of Northwest Indiana's highway, local road, public transit, and trails 
systems. In addition, NIRPC continues to perform essential regional 
environmental planning and land use analysis. Serving the people of 
Lake, LaPorte and Porter Counties, NIRPC's coordinating role among the 
various public interests has been crucial to the success of the region.
  During the course of the past 50 years, NIRPC has been instrumental 
in shaping our region's view toward transportation infrastructure as 
well as land-use planning. Often, we narrowly view transportation 
infrastructure as simply the roads upon which we drive. The 
organization's executive directors, Board of Commissioners, and 
transportation planners have challenged this understanding by 
developing programs focused upon regional transit, through its support 
for increasing commuter transportation opportunities along existing bus 
systems and the South Shore Rail Line, upon our waterways, by shaping 
transportation policies along our rivers, and upon our multi-modal 
trail system, the availability of which increased from 13 miles in 1990 
to nearly 150 miles currently under NIRPC's direction. NIRPC's work to 
expand the concepts of interconnectivity within the communities in its 
three-county system benefits the economic development of our region as 
does its work in support of the Marquette Plan, a land-use reinvestment 
strategy focused upon the Lake Michigan shoreline. Working in 
coordination with the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority 
and the lakefront communities, NIRPC's technical expertise has led to 
the implementation of transformational, intergenerational projects 
along the lakeshore. Indiana's First Congressional District has 
resources other areas in our country envy--our transportation 
infrastructure, our waterways and shoreline, and our proximity to 
Chicago--all of which have been enhanced by the exceptional leadership 
exhibited by the dedicated individuals and municipal officials which 
make up NIRPC.
  I would be remiss if I did not mention just a few of the people who 
have made NIRPC's first 50 years such a great success and guarantee at 
least another half century of accomplishment. The commission's first 
Chairman, Dr. Joseph J. Forszt; Vice-Chairman, Virgil O. King; 
Secretary William L. Staehle; Executive Director, Norman E. Tufford; 
and Deputy Director Jim Ranfranz were essential in establishing and 
guiding the organization. NIRPC is currently under the able direction 
of Chairman, Chesterton Town Councilman James Ton; Vice-Chairman, 
Highland Clerk-Treasurer Michael Griffin; Secretary, Beverly Shores 
Town Councilman Geof Benson; Executive Director, Ty Warner; and Deputy 
Director, Steve Strains. The wide array of talent and ideas possessed 
by these individuals and countless others has developed NIRPC's focus 
and promises its future success.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my other distinguished colleagues 
join me in honoring and congratulating NIRPC. For the past 50 years, 
the organization has touched the lives of countless individuals through 
its unwavering commitment to the community of Northwest Indiana.

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