Fort Wayne receives donation to build walkway over busy road

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WISH) — A nonprofit foundation donated $5 million for the construction of a pedestrian bridge over the busy Coliseum Boulevard for the the Pufferbelly Trail in Fort Wayne, the city government announced Monday .

Jim Vann of the Vann Family Foundation was a former shareholder and chairperson of Rea Magnet Wire in Fort Wayne. The city says he’s been an instrumental leader and community supporter.

“My wife, Lee, loved the trails system in Fort Wayne,” said Jim Vann in a news release. “The bridge is our way of saying thank you to the late Mayor Tom Henry and Mayor (Sharon) Tucker, to all Rea employees, and to our citizens for creating such a special place to live and work. We are proud to call Fort Wayne our home.”

The Pufferbelly Trial pedestrian bridge will cross Coliseum Boulevard/State Road 930 on the west side of the Bob Thomas Ford dealership (north side) and Mission BBQ restaurant (south side). It’s where a railroad crossed years ago.

The daily traffic count in that area is 37,575 vehicles per day.

The city government says more money will be needed to complete the pedestrian bridge, although a specific amount for the project was not shared in the news release. Hopes are to complete the elevated walkway in 2026.

The Pufferbelly Trial, which is still being built, is a segment of the 81-mile Poka-Bache Connector trail from Pokagon State Park in Angola to Ouabache State Park in Bluffton, which is 60% complete.

Also on Monday, the city government announced plans for decorative gateway markers to be built along I-69 and U.S. 30. I-69 will have two markers; already funded, they should be completed in 2025. The U.S. 30 marker is expected to be funded in 2025.