$4.8M In Community Crossings Road Grants Coming Here

Several southeastern Indiana cities, towns and counties are receiving Next Level Roads Community Crossings grants.

Cities and towns receiving 2019 Next Level Roads Community Crossings Grants are shown with a star. Grant-receiving counties are highlighted. Image via INDOT.

(Indianapolis, Ind.) - Local cities, towns and counties are getting money to fix and build roads and bridges.

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb and Indiana Department of Transportation Commissioner Joe McGuinness announced 189 Next Level Roads Community Crossings grants on Tuesday. The Community Crossings Initiative is sending $115 million in state matching funds to municipalities statewide.

“Indiana’s fully-funded, long-term Next Level Roads plan means cities, towns, and counties are improving their roads and bridges at levels unmatched in our state’s history,” Gov. Holcomb said. “Community Crossings projects are crucial to first mile and last mile solutions that companies need when evaluating Indiana to locate their business or expand to create additional jobs.” 

Smaller municipalities provided the grants must provide a match of 25 percent in local funds, while large communities must match 50 percent.

The City of Batesville will use its $738,111 Community Crossings grant and its 25 percent match to invest approximately $1 million in roadway improvements in the city this year.

“We are extremely grateful to be able to apply and receive this state grant as we could not do this on our own at the local government level,” Batesville Mayor Mike Bettice said in a news release. “This grant helps us fix up many more roads and put our tax dollars to other good uses.”

Batesville will put the money into nearly 20 roadway and sidewalk projects including Huntersville Road, West Pearl Street, Tekulve Road and Lammers Pike.

Other local Community Crossings grants announced Tuesday include (local match not included in dollar figure):

• Franklin County $57,936.39
• Town of Holton $164,817.71
• Town of Osgood $999,900.00
• Ripley County $1,000,000
• City of Rising Sun $682,440.56
• Town of Sunman $411,424.00
• Switzerland County $783,390.20

The Community Crossings grant program is highly-competitive. There were more than 229 applications received from local governments across the state. INDOT now accepts applications in both January and July each year. An estimated $100 million will be available for this year’s July grants.

“Local leaders are improving the conditions of local roads and bridges all across the state with funding from the Community Crossings Initiative,” said McGuinness. “The partnership model with the state sharing in the cost of local projects means Hoosier taxpayers receive great value as communities deliver needed projects.”

Indiana lawmakers created the Community Crossings grant program by passing a law in 2017. The law requires that half of the available matching funds be awarded to communities and counties with populations below 50,000.