We started construction in August, 2025 on the 1.7 mile long section of the Poka-Bache Connector in Fort Wayne from the intersection of Lima Road and Ice Way to Washington Center Road. This segment of the Poka-Bache is called the “Pufferbelly Trail.” The Pufferbelly Trail will be over 13 miles long when it’s completed from downtown Fort Wayne to the DeKalb County Line.  Much of this 13-mile long trail is constructed on the former New York Central Railroad corridor or Fort Wayne and Jackson Railroad corridor. Pufferbelly is a nickname for steam locomotives.

Coliseum Boulevard Crossing

This 1.7 mile segment that is under construction should be completed by October 2025. The photos above show the recent paving on the former railroad corridor between Coliseum Boulevard and Washington Center Road through an industrial area. The Contractor is currently working along the Washington Center Road, Coliseum Boulevard and Lima Road segments.

The trail will provide new connectivity with various shopping areas such as Coldwater Crossing, Glenbrook Commons and Glenbrook Square Mall.  The project also connects with many restaurants  such as Olive Garden, Cheddar’s, Tim Horton’s, Skyline Chili, Core Life Eatery, P F Chang’s, Wing Stop, Friday’s, BJ’s Brewhouse, Red Robin, Cookie Cottage, Fazoli’s, Chick-Fil-A, Portillo’s and Dave and Buster’s.   The trail also connects with the Coldwater Crossing Movie Theatre Complex.   Moreover, the trail will connect with hotels and entertainment such as SkyZone, the SportONE Parkview Fieldhouse, The SportONE Parkview Icehouse and others.  Overall, this segment of the Pufferbelly Trail will tie directly or indirectly (via sidewalks) to hundreds of businesses and many residential areas along the Washington Center Road corridor, the Lima Road Corridor, the Coliseum Boulevard corridor and the Coldwater Road/Clinton Street Corridor.   With the completion of this trail and pedestrian bridge, trail users from the north will now have a direct connection to the Fort Wayne Zoo, Franke Park, Downtown Fort Wayne, Riverfront, Headwaters Park, Parkview Field and connection to much of Fort Wayne and New Haven via the vast trail and sidewalk network.

The Golden Spike

We call this 1.7 mile long phase of the Pufferbelly/Poka-Bache “The Golden Spike,” because when it’s finished it will connect 130 miles of existing trails in Fort Wayne and Allen County.   We have a pedestrian bridge, called the Vann Family Crossing, that will be constructed in 2026 for the crossing of Coliseum Boulevard.  Jim Vann’s family foundation gifted the City of Fort Wayne $5 million for this $7.6 million pedestrian bridge.   Former Governor Eric Holcomb and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources provided a nearly $2.7 million Next Level Trails Grant and Fort Wayne Trails, Inc. raised $300,000 from donors for the construction of the trail. 

The trail will include a Trail Hub along Lima Road with a pavilion, drinking water fountain, bike racks, picnic tables, park benches, lighting and landscaping.  We’ll also have numerous other rest nodes and landscaped areas along the trail.   A new traffic signal will be installed at Washington Center and Industrial Road to help trail users cross Washington Center.  Wayfinding signage will be installed along the trail, as well as dog waste stations, trash containers, an information kiosk, historical lectern signs, ADA curb ramps, a trail counter and other features/amenities.  Trees and public art/sculptures will be added after construction.