Indy Standard

Indiana's Community Crossings Matching Grant Program has allocated over $2.9 million to Howard County and Kokomo for local road and bridge projects. This announcement was made by State Representatives Mike Karickhoff and Heath VanNatter, both representing Kokomo.

The program is designed to support local communities with funding for road reconstruction, bridge preservation, intersection improvements, and other infrastructure projects. This year, 245 communities across Indiana will benefit from more than $200 million in state matching grants.

"Local businesses and Hoosiers need reliable roads on a daily basis, and these grants help local governments pay for these improvements," said Karickhoff. "Continued investment in these projects is key to remaining a top state in the country for infrastructure."

Indiana recently received recognition as the best state in the nation for overall road conditions by Consumer Affairs, highlighting its low rate of traffic fatalities and quality roads.

In this latest round of funding, Howard County was awarded $1.4 million while Kokomo received $1.5 million.

"Having strong, sustainable infrastructure is necessary to maintain Indiana’s economy and promote growth," stated VanNatter. "This program helps address our needs and makes communities across the state a better place to call home."

To qualify for this funding, smaller municipalities must provide a 25 percent match in local funds, whereas larger communities are required to provide a 50 percent match. The program mandates that half of the available matching funds be distributed annually to communities within counties with populations of 50,000 or less. Since its inception in 2016, Community Crossings has awarded over $2 billion towards improving local roads and bridges.

For more information about the grant recipients or details on the program itself, visit in.gov/indot/communitycrossings.