Indy Standard

Vanderburgh County lawmakers have announced that local communities will soon benefit from state funding aimed at enhancing road and bridge infrastructure. The funding is part of Indiana's Community Crossings Matching Grant Program, which supports projects like road reconstruction, bridge preservation, and intersection improvements. This initiative will distribute over $139 million in state matching grants to 223 communities across the state.

State Representative Wendy McNamara highlighted the importance of reliable infrastructure for economic success, stating, "These investments help us attract residents, businesses and economic opportunities to area, and we can continue to improve our quality of life." Among the recipients are Evansville with $729,809 and Vanderburgh County receiving $809,506.

State Representative Tim O'Brien emphasized the role of these grants in improving connectivity: "Community Crossings grants help all types of communities improve local roads and increase connectivity." He stressed the necessity of investing in infrastructure to accommodate growth in Southwest Indiana.

State Representative Matt Hostettler pointed out the financial challenges faced by rural communities: "Our rural communities often do not have enough funding to tackle all of their infrastructure needs." He noted that these grants provide budget flexibility for essential upgrades on roads and bridges.

The grant program requires smaller municipalities to match 25 percent of funds locally, while larger ones must match 50 percent. By law, half of the available matching funds are allocated annually to communities within counties with populations under 50,000. Since its inception in 2016, Community Crossings has awarded more than $1.8 billion for local road and bridge improvements.

Further information about the program can be found by visiting in.gov/indot/communitycrossings and clicking on "Community Crossings Matching Grant."