Work on Fort Wayne trail project begins

By Alex Brown | Inside INdiana Business

Officials in Fort Wayne have broken ground on the next portion of a more than $10 million trail project. The city says the new segment of the Pufferbelly Trail, which is being partially funded through the Regional Cities Initiative, will connect nearly 1,200 residents to 50 businesses and organizations.

The Indiana Economic Development Corp. approved $1.8 million in Regional Cities funding for the project in January 2017. The city says the segment, running from State Boulevard to Fourth Street, is expected to be complete in late June. 

"Positive momentum continues for the City of Fort Wayne and our region," said Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry, who took part in Thursday's groundbreaking ceremony. "The investment we're making in our neighborhoods by connecting them with each other and with destination points is important, not only today, but for our future success."

The overall effort includes four projects, two of which are already under construction, with the final segment set to begin bidding soon. The city says the trail segments will be part of the Poka-Bache Connector, the 81-mile State Visionary Trail that will connect Ouabache State Park in Bluffton to Pokagon State Park in Angola.