Tue Feb 09 2010
By JARED ORZOLEK
ANTWERP -- Cyndy and Terry Bowers are sick of semi trucks swerving to avoid slower traffic on U.S. 24 and becoming stuck in their front yard.
That's why the couple, who has lived along the highway three miles east of Antwerp since 1976, was happy to attend Thursday's ribbon cutting ceremony commemorating the opening of a new 23 mile stretch of U.S. 24.
The new four-lane highway runs west of Defiance to the Indiana state line and promises to reduce the amount of semi traffic traveling past the Bowers' home.
"It was just four days ago that we had a semi in our front hard, and that's not the first time it has happened," Mrs. Bowers said. "Now, when I go out to get my mail, I won't have to wait for 18 semis to pass by to reach my mailbox. I'm going to go home and dance a jig in the middle of the road."
Mr. Bowers said he was glad to be among the hundreds of people who turned out to witness the historic opening of the highway, which took place at the Indiana/Ohio boarder on new U.S. 24 and featured speeches by Ohio Governor Ted Strickland and Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels.
"We are happy to be a part of it and to say we were here when it happened," Mr. Bowers said. "I think overall it will be a real positive thing. I think that this area will really start to grow."
Walt Womack of Antwerp also attended Thursday's opening ceremony. He said he is happy semi truck drivers now can decide to avoid driving through the center of Antwerp by traveling on new U.S. 24.
"We are looking to get the truck traffic out of Antwerp. Once they get backed up, it's hard to get through town. Some days it's good, some days it's bad. I've been concerned for my grandchildren," Womack said. "I know that we need semis for our transportation needs, so this (highway) is going to be fantastic."
Ephraim Kipfer of Paulding also marked the opening of new U.S. 24 by attending Thursday's event. A retired post office rural mail carrier, he said he recalls efforts to improve U.S. 24 that date back decades.
"The road makes a lot of people happy, (construction) has been an inconvenience, but that's part of progress sometimes," Kipfer said. "I can remember back some years when they began buying land and deciding which route they were going to take."
Approximately 58 miles of U.S. 24 in Ohio is being reconstructed through the Fort to Port project, which will connect Fort Wayne with Toledo. Additional sections east of Napoleon are under construction and are scheduled to be complete by 2012.
Ohio has committed more than $400 million to the project and Indiana has begun a $170 million effort to expand and reconstruct 11 miles of roadway west of the Ohio line to I-469 east of Fort Wayne.
Comments
By Posting to this site, you agree to our Terms of Service Be polite.
Inappropriate posts may be removed.
Crescent-News.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post.
Login above or Register to comment.
0 Total Comments Home | Back
Copyright Defiance Publishing, LLC 1995-2010. All Rights Reserved.
Content may not be republished without the expresse written consent of the publisher.
Content may not be republished without the expresse written consent of the publisher.
Dix Communications