Consultants Site Guide

U.S. Highway 41 Corridor
Drives Progress Along
Indiana’s Southwestern Border

Serving: Clay, Gibson, Knox, Posey, Sullivan, and Vigo Counties

Companies needing ready access to markets across the United States, a top-notch work force, and strong business partnerships will find everything they need in southwest Indiana’s U.S. Highway 41 Corridor.

U.S. 41 runs along the entire western Indiana border, providing an easy connection to the Chicago area as well as southern markets. “A major CSX rail line parallels U.S. Highway 41, and State Road 641, which is now under construction, will enhance the connection of 41 to Interstate 70,” said Steve Witt, president of the Terre Haute Economic Development Corp.

Ready access to international markets is available by way of the inland waterway system. The Port of Indiana–Mount Vernon, formerly known as the Southwind Maritime Center, lies at the southern end of the U.S. 41 region on the Ohio River. Serviced by the CSX line, the port handles two million to five million tons of cargo annually.

Five universities — Indiana State University, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, St. Mary of the Woods College, Ivy Tech Community College, and Vincennes University — are located on the U.S. 41 corridor. Additionally, the nation’s second-largest medical school, the Indiana University School of Medicine, has a branch campus in Terre Haute offering four-year medical degrees. “With the presence of our local universities, we have access to hundreds of graduating seniors every year. That’s a lot of new, young talent regularly coming into the job market,” said Witt.

The U.S. Highway 41 Corridor is home to numerous business parks, including the 1,500-acre Vigo County Industrial Park; the 935-acre Pfizer-Terre Haute complex with 23 multi-use manufacturing and shipping buildings; and the 180-acre Rose-Hulman South Campus certified technology park, site of a 35,000-square-foot business incubator. Additionally, the 218- acre Highway 41 Industrial Park located in Vincennes in Knox County is a state-certified shovel-ready development site adja-

cent to both U.S. 41 to the west and the CSX rail line to the east.

“Education, work force enhancement, and economic development — recruitment, training, and delivery, creating a seamless integration; that’s the focus of their efforts to grow the economy,” said Gary Gentry, president and CEO of the Knox Co. Development Corp. “As we move into the future, we’re better positioned to meet the needs of new employers.”

Toyota, Alcoa, Bristol-Myers, Aisin, Sony DADC, and Boral Bricks are some of the major employers in the Highway 41 region. Healthcare also employs a large segment of the work force in hospitals at both Terre Haute and Vincennes.

The Rural Electric Membership Corporations serving the U.S. Highway 41 Corridor regularly assist in local economic development efforts in their service territories. “Our electric utility played a very important role in getting state certification for our Highway 41 shovel-ready park in Vincennes. Working together to market the region offers economies of scale and a clustering of strengths that is to everyone’s advantage,” said Gentry.