Muncie, Ind. – Indiana Gov. Eric J. Holcomb and Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) Commissioner Mike Smith have announced that 224 Indiana cities, towns and counties received a combined $107.8 million in state matching funds for local road projects through Community Crossings, a component of the governor’s Next Level Roads program.
“Continuing to modernize and enhance our transportation infrastructure is critical to the economic success in and around our incredible communities and ultimately Hoosiers’ prosperity itself,” Holcomb said. “Community Crossings makes immediate impacts on improving local roads and bridges across Indiana. Those improvements translate to a safe, reliable, robust transportation infrastructure that benefits residents and business in every corner of our state and every place in between.”
The Community Crossings initiative has provided more than $1 billion in state matching funds for local construction projects since 2016, according to a news release.
Communities submitted applications for funding during a highly competitive call for projects in January. Applications were evaluated based on need and current conditions and impacts to safety and economic development. Funding for Community Crossings comes from the state’s local road and bridge matching grant fund.
“Community Crossings improves safety and reliability of local roads as well as enhances connectivity in all 92 Indiana counties,” INDOT Commissioner Mike Smith said. “INDOT is excited to join with our local partners to deliver on these high-priority projects and I look forward to the transformative effect of this work in our communities in the months ahead.”
To qualify for funding, local governments must provide local matching funds of 50 percent for larger communities or 25 percent for smaller communities and have an asset management plan for maintaining existing roads and bridges. State law requires annually that 50 percent of the available matching funds be awarded to communities within counties with a population of 50,000 or fewer. State lawmakers identified long-term funding for Community Crossings as part of House Enrolled Act 1002, passed by the legislature and signed into law by Gov. Holcomb in April 2017.
The list of all communities receiving matching funds in the 2022 winter/spring call for projects is online at www.in.gov/indot/communitycrossings.
The next call for projects will open in July 2022.
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