By Tim Vandenack, Truth Staff
tvandenack@etruth.com
Economic development efforts shouldn't be confined to governmental subdivisions, like states or counties, Indiana roads officials think.
In that vein, the Indiana Department of Transportation seeks creation of the Indiana Toll Road Economic Development Corridor, a body that would promote development along the 157 miles of the northern Indiana roadway.
"The toll road is a major transportation and economic development asset, but many feel we haven't capitalized on it enough," said Leigh Morris, INDOT deputy commissioner for toll road oversight.
Drumming up interest: Morris has been traveling northern Indiana spreading the word. But he isn't yet reporting a specific timeline for formation of the body.
The interest seems to be there. Participants in an organizational meeting in late September -- economic development officials from the seven-county region, local government leaders and others -- voted unanimously to pursue the concept, Morris said.
And Kyle Hannon, vice president of public policy for the Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce, thinks the time is right for a "linear" economic development body here.
"This'll be another opportunity for us," said Hannon. "Let's not forget that major road that carries huge amounts of goods back and forth."
Hannon said Elkhart County in particular stands to benefit because of the four exits onto the roadway here. Except for Lake County, that's more than in any other county along the toll road.
The goals: As envisioned, members of the ITR Economic Development Corridor would be local communities and economic development organizations, real estate developers, technology firms and contractors, among others. The objectives would be multi-faceted:
* Establishing a marketing program highlighting the toll road communities.
* Increasing coordination between toll road locales to foster creation of a regional marketplace.
* Capitalizing on the planned installation of a fiber-optic network along the toll road, another INDOT initiative, as well as the existing transportation infrastructure.
* Considering incentives to spur specific types of development, like advanced manufacturing and "green" development.
Regional approach: Hannon thinks the ITR Economic Development Corridor would complement existing economic development bodies. Locally, there's the Economic Development Corp. of Elkhart County.
Similarly, Morris notes that prospective companies trying to decide where to locate usually don't zero in on an individual community right off the bat, which seems to endorse the regional approach he espouses.
"They normally think about regions and proximity to market and transportation resources," Morris said.