Fort Wayne’s Pufferbelly Trail is getting a little longer. The new construction project broke ground Tuesday.
The trail will be extended 1.25 miles from Dupont to Carroll Roads.
The more than $700,000 funding the project comes from a variety of sources, from local municipalities to federal grants.
The non-profit Fort Wayne Trails is kicking in more than $300,000 for the trail extension project.
Fort Wayne Trails Director Lori Rose say community partnerships are key to getting these types of projects done quickly.
“It’s so much more than just a trail and just a construction project and just a strip of asphalt," says Rose. "We really see our trails as a lifeline throughout our community that connect everyone safely.”
When the project is done in late September, the trail it will stretch a total of 13 miles from downtown Fort Wayne through the northern border of Allen County.
Rose says the Pufferbelly Trail is part of a long-term trail network goal, spanning multiple counties. The plan is to eventually extend to Angola, Bluffton, and other destinations, connecting both urban and rural areas.