A ground-breaking ceremony was held for an extension of Apache Drive in Rochester on Wednesday, Oct. 18. Representatives from the North Central Indiana Regional Planning Council presented Rochester and Fulton County leaders with a $1 million Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative, READI, state grant for the project then. The extension will help connect SR 25 and SR 14 in another spot. At the ceremony were from left Rochester Redevelopment Commission President Brett Curnutt; NCIRPC Executive Director Steven Ray; Rochester Community Schools Superintendent Jana Vance, who served on the planning committee for the grant; Fulton County Economic Development Corp. Executive Director Michael Ladd; Fulton County Commissioners’ President Bryan Lewis; Rochester Mayor Ted Denton; and NCIRPC Board President Paul Wyman. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

ROCHESTER — Work on extending Apache Drive in Rochester to help connect SR 14 and SR 25 in another area has begun.

Leaders from Fulton County and Rochester joined representatives from the North Central Indiana Regional Planning Council at a ground-breaking ceremony Wednesday, Oct. 18, at the project site’s start behind Beacon Credit Union, 430 Rouch Place Drive.

NCIRPC representatives also presented local leaders with a $1 million Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative, or READI, state grant for the project. The rest of work is being funded by approximately $1.7 million in budgeted funds from Rochester and approximately $500,000 in budgeted funds from the county.

HRP Construction of South Bend also started working on the extension Oct. 18. The project, which includes the road extension and supporting infrastructure, is estimated to be finished by “mid-summer” of 2024, said Rochester Redevelopment Commission President Brett Curnutt.

Curnutt earlier pointed out the project will help with connectivity to U.S. 31, if the highway becomes limited access in the future, as well as commercial and residential development.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for Rochester. Action breeds action,” he said after the ceremony. “I think we’ll see a lot of projects in the future, and I’m just speculating on what I believe … can happen and what can domino-effect from there. I think the Rochester community wins, and it’s a great opportunity to be a part of the chemistry in this project.”

Rochester Mayor Ted Denton said the extension “will make this end of town pop as far as development.”

“We’ve been talking for a lot of years about a hotel possibly being down here. That’s being kicked around and talked about by some of the investors and developers,” said Denton.

He mentioned Dr. Ken Hoff enabled the project by “donat(ing) … property.”

“That’s been a big boost for the whole thing,” said Denton.

Fulton County Commissioners’ President Bryan Lewis said the extension was “a good opportunity for the county and city to work together.”

“It’s for the added expanse for some development out here,” he said.

Lewis noted the project will also allow for easier access from Rochester Community Schools to The Outlet Youth Center off Apache Drive.

“It’s just a great project, and I’m just really happy to be part of it,” he said.