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I-69 Corridor update: Successes and challenges

Steve Burger
/
WNIN-FM

A broad spectrum of business, technology, education and government came together in Huntingburg Thursday for A Celebration of Innovation event to update the progress of the I-69 Innovation Corridor. 

From a video message by Indiana Lieutenant Governor Sue Ellspermann, to a start-up located at Naval Surface Warfare Center-Crane, the message was clear. Things are hopping along the I-69 corridor. Debbie Dewey of Evansville, spoke for the  Innovation and Entrepreneurship Task Force:

“Just the fact that we can come together today and look at this much stuff, and know that there are probably six more slides (we could show). Two years ago, this didn’t exist, or if it did, it was in small pockets and they were not connected.”

There are some issues to address to continue the success. Mark Sebree heads up the task force on connecting the corridor. He says broadband access is lagging in some areas.

Credit Steve Burger / WNIN-FM
/
WNIN-FM
Ron Rochon (r) and Mark Bernhard from USI listen to speakers Thursday.

“It’s happening on a limited basis, but I think we need to gain critical mass, and have the corridor lit up from Bloomington to Evansville with a solid line of broadband.” 

How is that going to happen? “I think it’s just going to take all of us with individual projects with those of us in our governmental systems to basically say, ‘We have to make this happen.’”

You’ll hear more from the I-69 Corridor Celebration of Innovation on a future edition of The Trend.