By Herald Staff

INDIANAPOLIS — Community Crossings grants awarded to Huntingburg and Jasper Tuesday total more than $800,000.

Awards for round two of this year’s program were announced by Indiana Gov. Eric J. Holcomb and Indiana Department of Transportation Commissioner Joe McGuinness.

“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 in a press release. “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.”

Jasper was awarded $456,249, and Huntingburg will receive $389,334. In the state, 241 Indiana cities, towns and counties were awarded a total of $101 million in state matching funds for local road projects.

Jasper will use the funding to renovate streets near Holy Family Catholic Church, City Attorney Renee Kabrick said. There are about 170 homes located in the area, and it has had drainage problems that have created hazardous conditions in winter months for the past few years.

The project will involve installing new and larger sewers and fixing the curbs, which have shifted and deteriorated.

Huntingburg will use its funding on three road projects, Street Superintendent Jason Stamm said Tuesday.

The biggest project will be work on Fifth Street between Washington Street and U.S. 231. Along with milling and road paving, there will be curb and gutter work, storm sewer upgrades and sidewalk work. That project is estimated to cost about $314,386.

Washington Street between Fourth and Sixth streets will be milled and paved and have storm sewer work done, estimated to cost about $104,353. And Jackson betwen Sixth and Eighth streets will also be milled and paved, for an estimated $100,373.

Community Crossings, a component of the Governor’s Next Level Roads program, has provided more than $830 million in state matching funds for construction projects.

“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.”

In response to revenue uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, INDOT moved its 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, an INDOT spokesperson said.

Local governments must provide matching funds, 50% for larger communities or 25% for smaller communities, from a funding source approved for road and bridge construction, the spokesperson said. They must also submit an INDOT-approved asset management plan for maintaining existing roads and bridges. State law requires annually that 50% of the available matching funds be awarded to communities within counties with a population of 50,000 or fewer.

The list of all communities receiving Community Crossings funding is listed online at www.in.gov/indot/communitycrossings.