U.S. 24 ribbon cutting marks completion of Fort to Port project

WOODBURN, Ind. (WANE) - A project decades in the making has finally been finished.  

A ribbon cutting ceremony took place on Wednesday  to mark the completion of the Fort to Port U.S. 24 widening and improvement project between Fort Wayne and Toledo.

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels was joined by other federal, state and local officials for the ribbon cutting on U.S. 24 a couple miles west of the Webster Road interchange.

Daniels celebrated the potential boost in business that he foresees the improved infrastructure providing.

"Farsighted people, for decades, have known that if we could build this and extend it which we also have done through the 'Hoosier Heartland Corridor,' it would be a huge economic boost," Daniels said.

For years, U.S. 24 was considered to be a very dangerous highway with lots of curves and heavy truck traffic.  An Indiana state legislator once referred to the road as a "highway of death" because of all the fatal accidents.  

The son of late senator Bud Meeks said his father would be proud to see his passion to straighten and modernize the thoroughfare made progress.

"It was a dream, so I think he'd be very happy that the reality came around," Brian Meeks said.

Click here for a timeline of significant events related to the Fort to Port project.