STATEHOUSE (April 11, 2024) – Porter County and Valparaiso can roll forward with road and bridge projects thanks to a recent boost in state funding supported by local legislators.
A total of 252 communities across the state will receive over $207 million through Indiana's Community Crossings Matching Grant Program. Porter County and Valparaiso will each receive $1.5 million in grant funding. Funds can be used for road and bridge preservation, road reconstruction, intersection improvements and other items.
"With this funding, smaller communities can tackle larger road projects that otherwise may be impossible to complete," said State Rep. Michael Aylesworth (R-Hebron). "Improving our roads is needed to keep our community safe and I encourage others to take advantage of all this program offers."
"Roads are essential to our quality of life and economy, and communities often struggle to maintain strong and sustainable infrastructure," said State Rep. Julie Olthoff (R-Crown Point). "With this program, our area is getting direct support to make important and necessary improvements."
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 $1.6 billion to improve local roads and bridges.
"Our roads and bridges need continual maintenance to remain safe, especially with the continued growth in our area," said State Rep. Ed Soliday (R-Valparaiso). "These competitive matching grants are part of Indiana's long-term, sustainable road funding plan that continues to deliver real results for Hoosiers. Cities, towns and counties can really maximize their investment by partnering with the state to tackle projects that they couldn't complete on their own."
Visit in.gov/indot/communitycrossings and click on "Community Crossings Matching Grant" to learn more about the program.
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State Rep. Michael Aylesworth (R-Hebron) represents House District 11,
which includes portions of Jasper, Lake, Newton and Porter counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
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. Ed Soliday (R-Valparaiso) represents House District 4,
which includes a portion of Porter County.
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