The I-94 Corridor provides unprecedented economic development potential for the Townships and Cities of Hartford and Watervliet. Currently, this area mainly contains agricultural uses, vacant land and interspersed residential and commercial lands. Over the next several years, with effective planning and the support of local property owners and citizens, this area can become the region’s premier light and heavy industrial employment center.    
     The I-94 Corridor Economic Development Plan represents a collaborative effort that spans the border of two counties and intersects four communities. The counties and municipalities have created and supported this collaborative effort for the benefit of the region. Hartford and Watervliet Township and the cities of Hartford and Watervliet, developed this plan for the future of the I-94 Corridor. The Corridor currently serves as the primary transportation route between Chicago and Detroit. Interstate 94 represents one of the most heavily traveled highways within the State of Michigan, allowing people and goods to easily commute between these prominent cities.
     While individual communities and organizations may define and implement economic development differently, in the Hartford and Watervliet area common goals have emerged. The purpose for economic development planning is to forward policies, programs, and projects that encourage economic opportunity for all. This encompasses job creation, public and private sector investment in the communities, and an overall enhancement of quality of life. Many facets of life are impacted by economic development activities, jobs where people work, to the commercial and industrial tax revenues that help pay for schools, public safety, and roads.