Indy Standard

Indiana's Community Crossings Matching Grant Program has allocated over $4.4 million in state funding to local communities for road and bridge projects, as reported by Jasper County legislators. This initiative aims to support road reconstruction, bridge preservation, intersection improvements, and other related projects across the state.

This year, 245 Indiana communities are set to receive more than $200 million through these matching grants. State Rep. Michael Aylesworth (R-Hebron) emphasized the importance of this financial aid for smaller communities needing assistance with infrastructure projects: "These matching grants are so important for smaller communities that need assistance for necessary road maintenance and infrastructure projects."

The program comes at a time when Indiana has been recognized by Consumer Affairs as the top state in the nation for overall road conditions, highlighting low traffic fatality rates and high-quality roads.

Among the recipients of these grants are De Motte with over $1.2 million, Delphi receiving $1.5 million, Jasper County also awarded $1.5 million, and Remington with $155,388.

State Rep. Matt Commons (R-Williamsport) noted that not all areas have sufficient resources or funds to undertake significant infrastructure projects: "Not every area has the resources or funds to take on major road and bridge projects that could bring economic growth." He pointed out that these grants provide essential support needed to attract new business opportunities to rural areas.

State Rep. Kendell Culp (R-Rensselaer) explained that smaller municipalities must match 25 percent of the funding locally while larger ones must match 50 percent. The program mandates that half of the available matching funds be annually awarded to communities within counties with populations of 50,000 or less. Since its inception in 2016, Community Crossings has distributed more than $2 billion towards improving local roads and bridges.

"Bridge and road maintenance can be a large undertaking for a rural town or city," said Culp. "With this funding, we can not only keep roadways safe but also kickstart infrastructure projects to connect communities."

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