State approves millions in grants for local roads

Communities in Bartholomew County will see almost $2 million in road improvement money from the state’s Community Crossings Matching Grant program.

The governor was in Madison yesterday to announce $99.2 million grants statewide across 229 communities.

Locally, Bartholomew County received $591,796, Columbus $1 million, Hope, $189,401 and Elizabethtown $118,730. Neighboring communities receiving grants included Edinburgh received $639,075, Westport $107,175, Princes Lakes $166,816, Greensburg with $504,601 and Greenwood $874,130.

The maximum allowed per community per year is $1 million dollars. The state requires that half of the money it awards go to communities with fewer than 50,000 people.

To qualify for the road money, communities had to put up matching funds. Larger communiteis must put up 50 percent match while smaller communities must match 25 percent.

And communities that apply must put together a list of all roads, streets and bridges along with a plan on how they will maintain them.