STATEHOUSE (April 17, 2023) – Local communities are set to receive over $12.9 million to complete much-needed road projects, according to Lake, LaPorte and Porter County legislators.
"Road and bridge improvements are always an on-going effort and costly for local governments to tackle," said State Rep. Michael Aylesworth (R-Hebron). "With this grant program, Hoosier communities can move ahead with important road projects and stretch their budgets further."
Funding is available through the state's Community Crossings Matching Grant Program, which can be used for road and bridge preservation, road reconstruction, intersection improvements and other items. In total, 224 towns, cities and counties will receive over $133.4 million in state matching grants.
"These grants help our communities, large and small, move ahead with critical infrastructure projects that might have otherwise been delayed or not happen at all," said State Rep. Julie Olthoff (R-Crown Point). "Indiana is fortunate to be in a fiscal position to invest in road and bridge improvements so that we can ensure they are safe and functioning for years to come."
Area grant recipients include:
"These much-needed funds will help provide our local communities with resources to continue updating and fixing our roads and bridges," said State Rep. Jim Pressel (R-Rolling Prairie). "Maintaining and improving our transportation infrastructure is essential for growing our economy, improving our quality of life and providing more job opportunities to hardworking Hoosiers."
"Maintaining our transportation infrastructure is essential if we want our communities and the state to continue thriving," said State Rep. Hal Slager (R-Schererville). "The Community Crossings Matching Grant Program has helped Indiana rank as one of the top states in the country for infrastructure."
To qualify for the competitive grant, smaller municipalities provide a 25 percent match in local funds, while large 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 $1.27 billion to improve local roads and bridges.
"Local infrastructure plays such an important role in our daily lives, and we count on it to be safe and functionable," said State Rep. Ed Soliday (R-Valparaiso). "With our roads facing continuous wear and tear, especially here in Northwest Indiana, we must be diligent in making ongoing improvements to assure they are in good shape for years to come."
"Maintaining our roads and bridges helps keep motorists safe, and keeps businesses and our economy moving," said State Rep. Jake Teshka (R-South Bend). "This maintenance comes at a cost, and with these grants, our communities can move forward with important projects that otherwise may not happen."
A list of all communities receiving matching funds in the latest round is available here. Visit in.gov/indot/communitycrossings to learn more about the Community Crossings Matching Grant Program and the next call for projects opening in July.
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State Rep. Michael Aylesworth (R-Hebron) represents House District 11,
which includes portions of Jasper, Lake, Newton and Porter counties.
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State Rep. Julie Olthoff (R-Crown Point) represents House District 19,
which includes portions of Lake and Porter counties.
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State Rep. Jim Pressel (R-Rolling Prairie) represents House District 20,
which includes portions of LaPorte and Starke counties.
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State Rep. Hal Slager (R-Schererville) represents House District 15,
which includes a portion of Lake County.
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State Rep. Ed Soliday (R-Valparaiso) represents House District 4,
which includes a portion of Porter County.
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State Rep. Jake Teshka (R-South Bend) represents House District 7,
which includes portions of LaPorte, Marshall and St. Joseph counties.
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