Vanderburgh County was recently awarded $435,590 in state matching grants to bolster road and bridge improvements, according to local legislators.
Over 200 Indiana cities, towns and counties received a combined total of $126.5 million through the Community Crossings Matching Grant program. The grants are made available through the Indiana Department of Transportation as a result of a law State Rep. Holli Sullivan (R-Evansville), chair of the House Roads and Transportation Committee, supported in 2017.
“Since the start of the program, more than $5.5 million has been awarded to Vanderburgh County and its communities,” Sullivan said. “This program is a big win for Hoosier communities large and small, and our goal is to maintain this momentum we started a few years ago to solidify our reputation as the Crossroads of America.”
State Rep. Matt Hostettler (R-Fort Branch) said grant funding can be used toward road and bridge preservation, road reconstruction, intersection improvements, guardrail replacements and signage. Smaller municipalities must provide a match of 25% in local funds, while large communities must provide a 50% match.
“Roads connect Hoosiers, businesses and visitors across the state, and are vital to our economy,” Hostettler said. “Without this extra funding, local communities may not be able to make these improvements that help keep our cities and towns thriving.”
In total, more than $738 million has been distributed for local road projects through the Community Crossings program. According to State Rep. Wendy McNamara (R-Evansville), 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.
“Investing in Indiana’s infrastructure is a local and state effort,” McNamara said. “Through this program, our communities both big and small can benefit and complete much-needed road projects.”
An estimated $100 million will be available for communities opting to apply for these grants during the July 2020 call for projects. More information about the program and recipients can be found at www.in.gov/indot.
