Indy Standard

Indiana's Community Crossings Matching Grant Program has allocated over $1.7 million in state funding to support local road and bridge projects, as announced by State Representatives Lorissa Sweet and Craig Snow. This initiative aims to assist 245 communities across Indiana with more than $200 million in matching grants for infrastructure improvements.

State Rep. Lorissa Sweet emphasized the importance of these upgrades, stating, "Essential upgrades to roads and bridges not only keep Hoosiers safe, but they also support our local businesses and economy." She noted that such projects are vital for attracting residents and employers to the area.

The program's recent recognition includes Indiana being ranked as the top state for overall road conditions by ConsumerAffairs, which highlighted the state's low traffic fatality rate and quality of roads.

Local grant recipients include La Fontaine with $176,262, Wabash receiving $458,364, and Wabash County granted $1.1 million. To qualify for funding under this program, smaller municipalities must provide a 25 percent match in local funds while larger communities need a 50 percent match. Additionally, half of the available matching funds are designated annually for communities within counties with populations of 50,000 or less.

State Rep. Craig Snow remarked on the program's impact: "Having safe and reliable roadways will allow for future growth in our communities as well as across the state." He praised local governments for leveraging this opportunity to maintain their infrastructure.

Since its inception in 2016, Community Crossings has awarded over $2 billion towards improving local roads and bridges. More information about grant recipients and details on the program can be found at in.gov/indot/communitycrossings.