Infrastructure

Northeast Indiana’s geographic position and multimodal connection to major markets make it a principal “hub to the Midwest.” Northeast Indiana’s central location makes Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit and Indianapolis reachable within a three-hour drive. In addition to quickly reaching private industry, there are more than 200,000 graduates from Tier 1 and Tier 2 universities within 200 miles of Northeast Indiana, with major universities like Notre Dame, Purdue University, Indiana University, Michigan State University and The Ohio State University all nearby. Northeast Indiana is strategically located in the middle of everywhere – providing the prime access your business needs.

Transportation

The runway at Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA) has a nearly 12,000-foot runway and is long enough to handle any type of aircraft, including the Space Shuttle.  I-80/90, America’s longest interstate highway running from Boston to Seattle, and I-69, which is planned to run from Mexico to Canada, are part of a transportation network that includes seven US highways and more than 20 state roads.

Rail service includes CSX, Norfolk Southern, Genesee & Wyoming and Indiana Northeastern Railroad. Two international ports, Burns Harbor and Port of Toledo are within 125 miles of Fort Wayne. Northeast Indiana is the hub of the Midwest, allowing you to access more than 80% of the U.S. and Canadian population within a one-day drive.

Air Service

With a $45 million airport expansion to increase capacity and efficiency, the Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA) is poised and ready for next-level service and passengers. The runway at Fort Wayne International is one of the longest in the United States and is long enough to handle any type of aircraft, including the Space Shuttle.

Northeast Indiana’s air service through the Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority welcomes more than 715,000 passengers each year and provides businesses greater access to national and global markets.

In 2016, the airport opened the Fort Wayne Aero Center, Northeast Indiana’s premier full-service fixed-base operator (FBO) for business or leisure traveling. Then, in 2020, FWA announced the expansion of the terminal, coined The Gateway Project.

Fort Wayne International Airport’s (FWA) Major Airlines

FWA’s Runways

  • 12,000 feet and 8,000 feet

Nonstop Destinations from FWA

  • Direct service to 12 destinations
  • Connecting to seven hubs, including Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Minneapolis and Newark
  • Allegiant services vacation destinations like Fort Myers, Orlando, Sarasota and Tampa, Florida as well as Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Las Vegas, Nevada and Phoenix.

Northeast Indiana is also home to the following regional airports.

Interstate Access

Northeast Indiana’s geographic position and multimodal connection to major markets make it a principal “hub to the Midwest.” Northeast Indiana’s central location makes Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit and Indianapolis reachable within a three-hour drive. I-80/90, America’s longest interstate highway running from Boston to Seattle, and I-69, which is planned to run from Mexico to Canada, are part of a transportation network that includes seven U.S. highways and more than 20 state roads.

Rail

Class I Freight Railroads

  • CSX operates an intermodal facility in North Baltimore, Ohio (less than 90 miles from Fort Wayne). CSX’s major east-west mainline from Chicago to the northeast passes directly through Auburn.
  • Norfolk Southern operates intermodal facilities in Columbus, Ohio (160 miles east of Fort Wayne) and Chicago (160 miles west of Fort Wayne). Norfolk Southern’s main lines converge in Fort Wayne and connect to Chicago; Detroit; Cincinnati; Toledo, Ohio; Buffalo, New York; and Kansas City, Missouri.

Class II Freight Railroads

  • Genesee & Wyoming Inc. runs from Crestline, Ohio (140 miles east of Fort Wayne), to Tolleston, Indiana. (140 miles west of Fort Wayne).
  • Indiana Northeastern Railroad stretches nearly 130 miles, with major interchanges in Montpelier, Ohio (less than 60 miles from Fort Wayne), and Sturgis, Michigan (roughly 70 miles from Fort Wayne).

Ports

Two international ports, Burns Harbor and Port of Toledo, are both located within 125 miles of Fort Wayne. These multimodal transportation hubs are well-positioned as an inland distribution point for North American commerce.

There are also three ports of Indiana that serve the region as well.

Chock full of data, explore the interactive Northeast Indiana Regional Profile to learn about the region’s competitive business climate, access to talent and top industries.

Utilities

Northeast Indiana has an excess water supply and a highly reliable business infrastructure system from utilities to roads to ports.

Electricity

The region is served by two of the nation’s largest electrical service providers, Indiana Michigan Power (AEP) and Duke Energy.

There are also many regional member-owned, member-controlled nonprofit electric distribution utility service providers in Northeast Indiana.

Water

Northeast Indiana has a plentiful water supply that supports our large number of industrial businesses and caters to the specific needs of the food and agriculture industry, with Fort Wayne City Utilities serving as the region’s largest municipal water system. The city’s Three Rivers Water Filtration Plant has an excess water capacity of more than 72 million gallons per day, enough to supply the needs of Fort Wayne for at least the next 10 to 15 years.

Natural Gas

The Fort Wayne area is served by two companies: the Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) and Vectren. Offering dependable and reliable services, both of these providers serve large portions of Indiana, offer highly competitive rates and can easily meet the demands of new businesses.

Broadband

Access to broadband supports the economy and allows Northeast Indiana to be globally competitive. While the region’s infrastructure is built to see businesses succeed, it also improves the quality of life for all thanks to increased communication and access to information.

Here are some highlights of Northeast Indiana’s developed broadband infrastructure:

  • Numerous Northeast Indiana communities have been designated as a Broadband Ready Community by the State of Indiana.
  • Frontier’s Downtown Fort Wayne Hot Zone is the fastest open mesh network in Fort Wayne and covers a significant portion of downtown Fort Wayne.
  • Verizon invested more than $100 million in fiber-to-the-home, making Fort Wayne one of the first Midwest cities to have city-wide fiber-optic broadband services (FiOS). This resulted in improved economic development and quality of government and healthcare services, all while reducing municipal budgets. The City of Fort Wayne has also partnered with community leaders to offer innovative city services and generate new businesses within the city.
  • Metronet provides cutting-edge fiber-optic communication services, including high-speed Fiber Internet, full-featured Fiber Phone and Fiber IPTV to communities in Huntington, North Manchester and Wabash. Wabash County also incentivized the construction of a 100 percent fiber-optic network using $100,000 in county economic development income tax revenue as seed money.
  • Auburn Essential Services (AES) in Auburn was born out of the desire to fulfill the needs of one business; it quickly grew into a valuable community asset for businesses and residents alike. In recent years, AES has expanded its service area to several residential neighborhoods, giving Auburn residents an option that is not only fast and reliable but is also best in class when it comes to internet, voice and television services

Want to learn more? View a map of Indiana’s broadband network.

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