Fremont gets Community Crossings grant

By Amy Oberlin aoberlin@kpcmedia.com

Nov 8, 2018

FREMONT — The town of Fremont has received a more than $800,000 Community Crossings grant, announced Gov. Eric Holcomb and the Indiana Department of Transportation Wednesday.

“This is an excellent program and we are very excited to be a recipient of the Community Crossings Grant,” said Fremont Clerk-Treasurer Kathy Parsons. “The cost of street work has increased dramatically over the years and these funds will help us to keep up on repairs.”

Wayne Street from Michael Street to Toledo Street, North Street from Wayne Street to Sierer Street, Spring Street from Mill Street to Ray Road, Michael Street from Sabin Street to Wayne Street, and Broad Street from Pearl Street to Toledo Street are targeted for construction.

“These funds, along with our matching grant funds, allow us to complete more street projects then we would normally do,” said Parsons. “We are very happy that the state has continued this program as it greatly helps the rural communities.”

In 2016, the Indiana General Assembly passed legislation creating Community Crossings to help cities, counties and towns across the state improve roads and bridges. Community Crossings has awarded nearly $400 million over the past three years.

Through Community Crossings, INDOT matches up to $1 million when localities invest in road and bridge repairs. Counties with populations below 50,000 and cities and towns with populations below 10,000 receive a 75/25 percent match, while counties with populations greater than 50,000 and cities and towns with populations greater than 10,000 receive a 50/50 percent match.

This year’s program is called Next Level Roads: Community Crossings Initiative. Next Level Roads is Holcomb’s initiative to elevate Indiana’s economic competitiveness and quality of life through investment in transportation infrastructure. The plan dedicates more than $30 billion over the next 20 years to improving the conditions of existing roads and bridges — both state and local, finishing major projects and building for the future.

“Community Crossings helps cities, towns and counties take care of what they have and plan for the future,” said INDOT Commissioner Joe McGuinness. “Three years into the program, the state has partnered with local governments to improve thousands of road miles and dozens of bridges. The impact has been significant and felt across all 92 counties, and I’m excited for that impact to continue with this round of projects.”

The grant to Fremont is for $826,666.67. Fremont is among 283 cities, towns and counties receiving a combined $100 million in state-matching funds for local road projects; 444 communities applied for the funds this year.

“Infrastructure plays a vital role in taking Indiana to the Next Level, and that includes everything from our interstates down to the last mile — including our local roads, bridges and sidewalks,” said a statement from Holcomb. “When it comes to building and maintaining our infrastructure, we’re in this together for the benefit of all Hoosiers. I am encouraged by the immediate impact of this program and look forward to hundreds more projects funded by Community Crossings taking shape in the coming months.”

Beginning in 2019, INDOT will offer two calls for projects per year. INDOT will accept project applications in January and July, with Indiana communities eligible to apply for up to $1 million once a year.

In 2017, Steuben County got more than $220,000. The town of Orland received $88,000 and Angola was granted more than $700,000.