Northeast Indiana lawmakers: State funding hits the road for local infrastructure improvements

STATEHOUSE (Nov. 7, 2024) – State Reps. David Abbott (R-Rome City) and Ben Smaltz (R-Auburn) said local communities will soon be on the move with more road and bridge projects with the help of recently released state funding.

Funding is available through Indiana's Community Crossings Matching Grant Program, which can be used for road reconstruction, bridge preservation, intersection improvements and other projects. A total of 223 communities across the state will receive more than $139 million in state matching grants.

"Ensuring that our transportation routes are able to be maintained and upgraded will allow for future growth," Abbott said. "Every day, people rely on having safe and functional roadways, which is why these matching grants are key for smaller communities to address their infrastructure and needs effectively."

Area grant recipients include:

• Angola, $1.3 million;
• Ashley, $210,000;
• Auburn, $1 million;
• Cromwell, $337,500;
• Dekalb County, $1.5 million;
• Fremont, $216,080;
• Garrett, $737,400;
• Hudson, $150,000
• Kendallville, $531,384;
• Ligonier, $1.4 million;
• Shipshewana, $1.5 million;
• Steuben County, $471,817;
• Topeka, $300,593; and
• Waterloo, $1.4 million.

"The Community Crossings Matching Grant Program is a powerful example of what can be accomplished when state and local governments work together," said Smaltz, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee. "These grants enable our communities to make significant investments in local infrastructure, which is essential to attracting and retaining residents, businesses and jobs."

To qualify for the competitive grant, smaller municipalities provide a 25 percent match in local funds, while larger communities provide a 50 percent match. State law requires 50 percent of the available matching funds be awarded annually to communities within counties with a population of 50,000 or fewer. Since 2016, Community Crossings has awarded more than $1.8 billion to improve local roads and bridges.

Visit in.gov/indot/communitycrossings and click on "Community Crossings Matching Grant" to learn more about the program.

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State Rep. David Abbott (R-Rome City) represents House District 18, which
includes portions of Elkhart, Kosciusko, Noble and Whitley counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.

State Rep. Ben Smaltz (R-Auburn) represents House District 52, which
includes all of DeKalb County, and portions of Noble and Steuben counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.