Hendricks County Lawmakers: State awards over $1.2M to help drive local road projects

STATEHOUSE (May 3, 2021) – Indiana recently awardedmore than $1.2 million in state matching grants to local communities for road and bridge improvements, according to Hendricks County lawmakers.

Through the Community Crossings Matching Grant program, 218 Hoosier cities, towns and counties received a combined total of over $100 million. This program was established in 2016 and expanded a year later in 2017 through laws supported by State Reps. Jeff Thompson (R-Lizton), Greg Steuerwald (R-Avon) and Bob Behning (R-Indianapolis). The Indiana Department of Transportation oversees and distributes these grants twice each year.

“Indiana continues to make strategic investments in our infrastructure to ensure Hoosiers and visitors are safe when traveling our roads,” said Thompson, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee. “Because we developed a road-funding plan addressing both our current and future needs, our state is not only able to maintain our roads and bridges, but also complete critical projects on time and ahead of schedule.”

Hendricks County received $1 million for local road and bridge projects. In addition, Danville was awarded $52,667, and Lizton was awarded $164,520.  

Steuerwald, co-author of the 2016 and 2017 laws, said communities can use these funds for road and bridge preservation, road reconstruction, intersection improvements, guardrail replacements and signage. Smaller municipalities must provide a 25 percent match in local funds, while large communities must provide a 50 percent match.

“As our communities continue to grow, this program will help Hendricks County make important upgrades to our local infrastructure,” Steuerwald said. “This funding is dedicated strictly to road projects, and is paid for without passing debt on to future generations.”  

According to Behning, more than $931 million in total has been awarded throughout the state since 2016. State law requires that 50 percent of the available matching funds be awarded annually to communities within counties with a population of 50,000 or fewer. 

“Our roadways connect us to family and friends, and I predict many of us will be hitting the road this year to spend time with loved ones,” Behning said. “These grants go a long way to ensure everyone arrives at their destination safely.”

More information about the program and recipients can be found online at in.gov/indot/communitycrossings. The next call for projects through Community Crossings will open in July 2021.