By BILL SHERRY

Correspondent

ANTWERP – The Antwerp Community Improvement Corporation hosted a public meeting at Antwerp High School on March 12 to continue planning for the development of the U.S. 24/Ohio 49 interchange potentials for Antwerp and Payne. There were more than 50 people in attendance for the meeting with 17 students and three teachers representing the high school.

The “Fort to Port” project is scheduled to have U.S. 24 open as a four-lane limited access highway from Fort Wayne to Toledo later this year. There are currently two undeveloped U.S. 24 interchanges in Paulding County, one at U.S. 127 near Paulding and Cecil and the other near Antwerp and Payne at Ohio 49. There are already interchanges in Defiance and Henry counties that provide travel essentials of fuel, food and lodging.

The upcoming completion of U.S. 24 makes the Antwerp/Payne 24/49 interchange project a timely issue.