“As we navigate through the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re as committed as ever to improving and building our state’s infrastructure," Holcomb said. "I’m incredibly pleased that we’re able to fund all of the high-priority local road projects submitted in this round. Taking care of our local roads is key to making sure our communities remain attractive places to grow businesses and create careers.”
The Community Crossings Initiative has provided more than $830 million in state matching funds for construction projects. In response to revenue uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, INDOT moved this call for projects, originally scheduled for July, to September. The $101-million award is funded by the balance available in the state’s local road and bridge matching grant fund at the end of the 2020 fiscal year as well as revenue collected so far in the 2021 fiscal year.
“This is a tremendous win for our local partners,” McGuinness said. “Our continued partnership with Hoosier communities will deliver more high priority local road projects in the coming year, many of which have been in planning for months or even years and wouldn’t be able to move forward now without the state’s funding commitment.”
To qualify for funding, local governments must provide local matching funds, 50 percent for larger communities or 25 percent for smaller communities, from a funding source approved for road and bridge construction. They must also submit an INDOT-approved asset management plan for maintaining existing roads and bridges.
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State law requires annually that 50 percent of the available matching funds be awarded to communities within counties with a population of 50,000 or fewer. State lawmakers identified long-term funding for Community Crossings as part of House Enrolled Act 1002, passed by the legislature and signed into law by Holcomb in April 2017.
The list of all communities receiving matching funds in the 2020 summer/fall call for projects is online at www.in.gov/indot/communitycrossings.
Over the past 100 years, INDOT has transformed the state of Indiana into the Crossroads of America. With six district offices and 3,500 employees, the agency is responsible for constructing and maintaining more than 29,000 lane miles of highways, more than 5,700 bridges, and supporting 4,500 rail miles and 117 airports across the state.
