By JOSEPH SLACIAN, Wabash Plain Dealer
Land acquisition for four segments of the Hoosier Heartland Industrial Corridor could begin in early 2008, officials were told during the HHIC annual meeting Friday, Sept. 21, in Logansport.
The purchase of the land would complete the purchase and would, eventually, connect Lafayette and Fort Wayne with a four-lane highway.
Karl Browning, Indiana Department of Transportation commissioner, made the announcement during the annual gathering, held at the Logansport Ramada Inn.
The lunch was attended by mayors from throughout the HHIC, as well as various state and county officials.
The land to be purchased would stretch from Logansport west to near Lafayette.
The purchase would begin just east of I-65 in Lafayette, and would extend approximately 35.3 miles northeast to the multi-lane section of U.S. 24 and U.S. 35.
From there, it would extended another 1.6 miles east of Ind. 29 in Logansport.
Once completed, HHIC would stretch 99 miles between Lafayette and Fort Wayne.
Plans also are in the works to extend the road from Fort Wayne to Toledo, Ohio.
When that project is completed, it would provide a 200-mile link between Lafayette and Toledo.