Huntington County received $1 million through the Community Crossings grant program.
The award was part of $119 million in grants presented to 229 communities around the State of Indiana. The money, the state’s portion of matching fund grants, must be used for local road projects through the governor’s Next Level Roads program.
“Modernizing and improving transportation infrastructure is a key component of driving economic development in the Hoosier state,” Gov. Eric Holcomb said. “The Community Crossings program continues to help take communities to the next level by providing safe, reliable roads and bridges for residents and visitors alike.”
Communities submitted funding applications in July and August.
"Indiana prides itself on a being a business friendly state, and with that in mind, it is important for our infrastructure to be well-maintained," Zay said. "These targeted grants provide local communities with funding to preserve and improve our roads and bridges so we can continue to be among the nation's leaders in reliable infrastructure, and I applaud our local leaders for investing in our future."
Applications were evaluated based on need and current conditions, as well as impacts to safety and economic development. Funding for Community Crossings comes from the state’s local road and bridge matching grant fund. The Community Crossings initiative has provided more than $1 billion in state matching funds for local construction projects since 2016.
“Community Crossings is a tremendous opportunity for towns, cities and counties to enhance local road networks across the state,” INDOT Commissioner Mike Smith said. “INDOT looks forward to partnering with locals to deliver on projects that will have a positive impact on safety and bring business to Indiana. I'm excited to see the progress in these communities throughout the coming year.”
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.
