Fort Wayne lands $5M gift for pedestrian bridge project
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The city of Fort Wayne on Thursday announced a $5 million gift from the Vann Family Foundation to support a pedestrian bridge to be constructed as part of the Pufferbelly Trail.
The bridge is designed to provide safe crossing over Coliseum Boulevard, which the city calls one of the busiest roads in Fort Wayne.
The bridge will be known as the Vann Family Crossing. Jim Vann is a former shareholder and chairperson of Rea Magnet Wire in Fort Wayne, and the city describes him as an instrumental leader and community supporter.
“My wife, Lee, loved the trails system in Fort Wayne,” Vann said in a news release. “The bridge is our way of saying thank you to the late Mayor Tom Henry and Mayor 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 city said more funding will need to be raised to complete the bridge crossing, though a specific amount was not provided. Officials hope to begin construction in 2026.
“The kind and generous gift being provided by Mr. Vann and his family is a true testament to thinking of others first and giving back for the betterment of a community,” Fort Wayne Mayor Tucker said. “Our trails and greenways provide residents and visitors with a quality-of-life amenity that makes Fort Wayne stronger and more vibrant. This effort will leave a legacy that won’t be forgotten.”
The bridge will be part of the Pufferbelly Trail and connect 85 miles of trail south of Coliseum Boulevard with 35 miles to the north.
“One of the goals of this important bridge project is to make our trails more useable as public transportation,” said Fort Wayne Trails Executive Director Kent Castleman. “This bridge will allow for a safe and speedy crossing over Coliseum Blvd. helping trail users to reach downtown Fort Wayne and its many destinations. Eliminating the barrier of Coliseum Blvd. for casual users as well as daily commuters is a generational move for the growth of the system.”
The Vann Family Crossing project is being done in conjunction with the Indiana Department of Transportation, Northeast Indiana Regional Coordinating Council, Engineering Resources Inc., and Fort Wayne Trails.
The city said the bridge announcement precedes the beginning of construction on the nearly $3.2 million next phase of the Pufferbelly Trail, which will add 1.8 miles of trail from Ice Way to Washington Center Road. Work is expected to be complete in the fall of 2025.