WYRZ.org 98.9 WYRZ – The Voice of Hendricks County
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Speaking before the Purdue Road School conference today, Indiana Department of Transportation Commissioner Brandye Hendrickson announced that rural cities, towns and counties may begin submitting project applications late this month for an estimated $80 to $100 million in federal transportation funding.
“INDOT sets aside a quarter of its federal-highway funds each year for local transportation projects,” Commissioner Hendrickson said. “Keeping the project pipeline full puts this funding to work in improving quality of life because roads mean jobs.”
Metropolitan Planning Organizations distribute federal highway funds to cities, towns and counties within the state’s larger urbanized areas while INDOT distributes funds outside MPO areas. For this latest round of funding, rural communities would design, develop and purchase land for projects that would be bid during the fiscal year beginning July 2020.
Common Paths
As part of the call for project applications, $5 million in federal funding will be made available for sidewalk improvements in rural communities. In addition, INDOT plans to invest $2.5 million each year to improve crosswalks and other sidewalk infrastructure along state highways in both rural and urban communities.
The new sidewalk program is part of a larger “Common Paths” umbrella that INDOT unveiled today. Common Paths unifies and implements the agency’s transportation programs and policies regarding transportation planning and design, including Complete Streets, bicycles and pedestrians.
“Whether you are traveling in a personal vehicle, using public transportation or enjoying various non-motorized forms of travel, we all have common paths in seeking safe, efficient and accessible transportation,” Commissioner Hendrickson said.
To learn more about Common Paths, visit www.in.gov/indot/3419.htm.
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