City of Fort Wayne: 2024 neighborhood infrastructure upgrades reach record investment of nearly $49 million

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) – Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker and City of Fort Wayne Public Works Director Shan Gunawardena announced Thursday that its neighborhood infrastructure upgrades have reached a record investment of nearly $49 million in the 2024 construction season.

The City of Fort Wayne highlights the Liberty Mills Road Trail Project which is a trail that was completed in September and spans 0.75 miles from Middle Grove Road to the intersection of Falls Drive and Coventry Lane, connecting southwest Fort Wayne trail users to several residential and commercial spaces.

The project was a $1.49 million investment funded through the Coventry Lane Tax Increment Financing District and a portion of the city’s allocation of American Rescue Plan Act dollars.

In addition to the Liberty Mills Road Trail Project, all four quadrants of the city saw enhancement through investments that included sidewalks, street lighting, concrete street reconstruction, asphalt resurfacing, chip and seal, trails, alleys, and bridges.

The City of Fort Wayne highlights the following numbers from neighborhood infrastructure upgrades in 2024:

• 38.8 miles of contracted asphalt resurfacing
• 12.8 miles of in-house asphalt resurfacing
• 3.8 miles of chip and seal to asphalt conversions
• 1 brick street repair project
• 22 concrete alley replacements
• 22 street lighting projects
• 4 new sidewalk construction projects
• 5 new trail projects
• 4 bridge rehabilitation/replacement projects
• 8 neighborhood street rehabilitation projects
• 7 traffic projects
• 31 projects in the study, design, permitting, or land acquisition stage

(This list includes projects that were completed, are still under construction, or bid on in 2024)

The City of Fort Wayne also highlights the following numbers from neighborhood infrastructure upgrades continued on from 2023:

• 2 arterial street rehabilitation projects
• 3 neighborhood street rehabilitation projects
• 1 trail project
• 1 miscellaneous project

A complete list of 2024′s neighborhood infrastructure upgrades can be found here.

According to city officials, community members will continue to see the city’s commitment to neighborhood infrastructure projects in 2025 with a planned investment of $41.5 million, which includes $31.7 million for streets/roads/bridges, $7.5 million for sidewalks and alleys, and $2.3 million for trails.

Since 2014, the City of Fort Wayne has invested more than $346 million in neighborhood infrastructure upgrades.

“We’re celebrating another outstanding construction season of meaningful neighborhood infrastructure improvements in all areas of our great city,” said Mayor Tucker. “Investing financial resources in neighborhoods is critical as part of our ongoing efforts to provide residents, businesses, and visitors with a safe and efficient transportation system. Public Works is committed to providing excellent services that enable Fort Wayne to be the best community possible, and I’m looking forward to another banner year of projects in 2025.”