Our
Transportation
Council’s
work is never
finished, but
the ‘completed’
list looks good
The Chamber’s Kyle Hannon took part in June’s bike ride on the unopened section of U.S. 31,
between South Bend and Plymouth.
Elkhart has been blessed with many ways to
get products to market. We don’t see riverboats
working the St. Joseph River anymore, but we
have about every other means covered.
Many trains move through our community
every day. The Indiana Toll Road is a vital
interstate highway. The Toll Road, C.R. 17 and
the U.S. 20 Bypass form an important, I-465type loop around our region. Freight comes in
and out of the Elkhart Municipal Airport and
the South Bend International Airport. And,
getting back to our waterway heritage, many
local companies benefit from the Northwest
Indiana ports.
Your Chamber knows this transportation/
logistics network did not merely appear out of
thin air. The Chamber Transportation Council
evaluates our logistical network every year
and decides transportation priorities for our
region. We take the list of our needed projects
to Indianapolis to present to the commissioner
of INDOT. Then, we invite the commissioner
to Elkhart County, where we show him the
projects in-person and treat him to a nice
luncheon, where even more information
is shared. You can participate in this year’s
luncheon, Aug. 5. Check Elkhart.org for more
information.
Through years of relationship-building and
cooperation, the Chamber has helped many
crucial road projects be constructed sooner
than if they had depended on the usual
process. S.R. 19, C.R. 17, U.S. 20, and even
U.S. 31 are some of the major projects we have
promoted. At the same time, there are many
other projects, like the intersection at S.R. 15
and U.S. 20, that are very important to our
member companies. We have accomplished
those, too.
Each year when the Transportation Council
evaluates logistics needs, it places projects into
three categories: priorities, under construction,
and completed. From a Chamber perspective,
there is nothing as fulfilling as seeing the
completed list grow and grow.
Transportation and logistics are the key to a
strong economy. Your Chamber, with your
help, is making Elkhart County a healthy place
for businesses to grow.
“Leading Business” is the
monthly magazine published by:
Ambassadors Claudia Meenan, ext. 134
July 10, Council meeting, 4 pm
Annual Golf Outing Denise Polachek, ext. 132
Business Recognition and Beautification
Denise Polachek, ext. 132
July 15, Council meeting, 8 am
Economic Development
Trevor Wendzonka, ext. 110
July 11, Council meeting, 8 am
Education Kathy Cardwell, ext. 122
Environmental Trevor Wendzonka, ext. 110
Government Trevor Wendzonka, ext. 110
July 9, Council meeting, 8 am
Leadership Denise Polachek, ext. 132
July 22, Council meeting, 4 pm
OSHA Jim Walsh, ext. 121
Technology Jim Walsh, ext. 121
July 23, Council meeting, 8 am
Transportation Kay House-Clark, ext. 138
July 11, Council meeting, 8 am
Women’s Claudia Meenan, ext. 134
July 1, Council meeting, 9 am
Young Professionals Arielle Schmitt, ext. 128
July 3, Council meeting, 4 pm
4 GREATER ELKHART CHAMBER
418 S. Main St. | Elkhart, IN 46516
(574) 293-1531 | Elkhart.org
All rights reserved 2014
Permission from the Chamber
president is required for any
reproduction, reprint or reuse of
the content of this magazine. A
PDF version of “Leading Business”
is available at Elkhart.org and in
e-reader format on the Greater
Elkhart Chamber’s Facebook page.
“Leading Business” benefits
from contributions by readers
and member companies. Please
submit news releases, event
information, article ideas and
inquiries to Trevor Wendzonka,
Greater Elkhart Chamber
communications director, at
trevorw@