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Indiana and Ohio’s chief executives Thursday celebrated the linking of a critical thoroughfare to improve safety and economics for the two states – although much work remains to complete the new highway.
Gov. Mitch Daniels and Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland helped cut ribbons as the section of the new U.S. 24 crossing the state line was opened for traffic Thursday. The project is called “Fort to Port” because it links Fort Wayne to the Port of Toledo with a four-lane interstate-quality highway.
More than 300 government workers, business officials and residents – including a large contingent from Antwerp, Ohio – attended an event that was decades in the making. Hoosiers have discussed improving U.S. 24 – which has had high numbers of wrecks and fatalities – for roughly 40 years.
With the opening of the newest section, drivers can travel from Indiana 101 to Napoleon, Ohio, on the improved U.S. 24. Sections connecting Indiana 101 to Interstate 469 and Napoleon to Toledo will be complete by 2012.
The 11-mile stretch of road in Indiana is expected to cost $170 million, while Ohio is investing $420 million for its 58-mile reconstruction.
Strickland said the new road will help the economies of both states, which have been hit especially hard by the recent recession.
“The highway will better connect businesses with markets and workers with jobs,” he said.
While the road will help the economy, Daniels said it most importantly will improve safety for a corridor that has been known as the “highway of death.”
“This is about saving lives,” he said.
The project in Indiana is being built from east to west. Next year, the section from Indiana 101 to Roussey Road will be completed, the section from Roussey to west of Berthaud Road will be done in 2011, and the section from Berthaud to I-469 will be done in 2012, according to the Indiana Department of Transportation. The Indiana section will have a speed limit of 60 mph.
In Ohio, the section from Napoleon to Toledo will be completed by the fall of 2012, although some smaller sections are expected to open before then. The highway in Ohio will have a speed limit of 65 mph, 55 mph for heavy trucks.
Hoosier motorists wanting to use the new highway will be able to access it from the current U.S. 24 headed east and turning south on Indiana 101 to the interchange. The highway was to be open by Thursday afternoon.
