FORT WAYNE, Ind. Work officially began this week on one of the city’s most anticipated infrastructure projects in years: a $9 million overhaul of Illinois Road that will finally bring safer walking and biking options to one of the busiest corridors in southwest Fort Wayne.
The project stretches from Grand National Drive near Menards all the way to West Jefferson Boulevard, with a new 10-foot-wide multi-use trail running nearly two miles from Rockhill Park to the Getz Road intersection. Crews are already milling the old pavement, the first visible sign that years of planning are turning into reality.
What Drivers and Residents Will See Change
The improvements go far beyond fresh asphalt.
Crews will resurface the entire roadway, widen lanes in key spots, upgrade traffic signals, and install new stormwater drainage systems to reduce flooding that has plagued the area during heavy rains.
The star of the project is the new trail. Once complete, people will be able to walk, run, or bike safely from Rockhill Park to Getz Road without ever stepping onto Illinois Road itself.
“This trail has been on wish lists for over a decade,” said Fort Wayne Public Works director Shan Gunawardena. “Families, students, and commuters have been asking for a safe way to move through this corridor without being right next to 50-mile-per-hour traffic.”
The trail will connect directly to existing paths at both ends, creating what city officials hope will become a vital east-west link across the southwest side.
Why This Stretch of Road Needed Help Now
Illinois Road carries more than 30,000 vehicles per day in some sections, making it one of the heaviest-traveled corridors in the city.
Yet until now, people walking or biking had almost no safe options.
Sidewalks end abruptly in places. Crosswalks are spaced far apart. And parents have long refused to let children bike to school or nearby parks because of the danger.
The new trail changes all of that.
“It means my kids can finally ride their bikes to Jefferson Middle School without me having to drive behind them in the car,” said Sarah Mitchell, who lives in the Covington Road area. “I’ve been waiting for this since they were in elementary school.”
Local businesses along the corridor also expect benefits. Better pedestrian access typically brings more foot traffic to shops and restaurants.
How Construction Will Affect Your Drive
Expect delays, especially during spring and summer 2025.
The city plans to keep at least one lane open in each direction at all times, but flaggers and temporary lane shifts will slow things down during work hours.
The heaviest impacts will hit between Getz Road and Ardmore Avenue, where crews will do the most extensive rebuilding.
Public Works officials ask for patience.
“Yes, it’s going to be inconvenient for a couple years,” Gunawardena acknowledged. “But when it’s done, this corridor will feel completely different, safer, smoother, and finally connected for everyone who uses it, not just people in cars.”
A Bigger Vision Coming Together Piece by Piece
This $9 million project is actually one part of a much larger plan for the Illinois Road corridor.
The city has already secured funding for future phases that could eventually extend the trail all the way to Homestead Road and beyond.
When finished, officials say the entire route could become one of the longest continuous multi-use paths in Fort Wayne, rivaling the Rivergreenway in popularity.
The full project is expected to wrap up by fall 2027, just in time for families to enjoy the new trail during the beautiful Indiana autumn of that year.
After years of talking about making southwest Fort Wayne more walkable and bike-friendly, residents are finally seeing the dirt fly. The message from the construction zone is clear: the wait is almost over, and the transformation has begun.
What do you think of the Illinois Road project? Will you use the new trail once it’s complete? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
