Indy Standard

Indiana's Community Crossings Matching Grant Program has allocated over $5.9 million to local communities for road and bridge projects, according to Hamilton County legislators. This initiative is part of a broader effort where 245 Indiana communities will receive more than $200 million in state matching grants this year.

House Speaker Todd Huston emphasized the importance of maintaining high-quality roads and bridges for supporting the economy and improving residents' quality of life. "Maintaining high-quality roads and bridges is critical to support our growing economy and improve quality of life for Hoosiers," Huston stated.

The state's infrastructure was recently praised by Consumer Affairs, which ranked Indiana as the best state in the nation for overall road conditions due to its low rate of traffic fatalities and road quality.

State Rep. Chris Jeter highlighted Indiana's financial strength and its role in facilitating strategic investments in infrastructure. "Indiana remains in a strong place financially and continues to help local communities make strategic investments in road and bridge projects," Jeter said.

Local grant recipients include Carmel with $1.1 million, Cicero with $295,702, Fishers with $1.5 million, Hamilton County with $1.5 million, and Noblesville also receiving $1.5 million.

State Rep. Danny Lopez commented on the impact of these investments on community development: "Vibrant communities need world-class infrastructure to thrive, and investments like this are a big reason cities like Carmel and Westfield are global destinations for talent and jobs."

According to State Rep. Alaina Shonkwiler, smaller municipalities must provide a 25 percent match in local funds to qualify for funding, while larger communities must provide a 50 percent match. She noted that since 2016, Community Crossings has awarded more than $2 billion for local infrastructure improvements.

"Indiana is one of the top states for infrastructure and programs like Community Crossings help make this possible," Shonkwiler remarked.

State Rep. Hunter Smith stressed the necessity of maintaining transportation infrastructure for economic and social prosperity: "Maintaining our transportation infrastructure is essential if we want our communities and state to thrive economically and socially."

Further details about grant recipients can be found at in.gov/indot/communitycrossings.