New road funding heads to Putnam County

Thursday, March 6, 2025 at 10:52 AM

By Staff report

Indiana's Community Crossings Matching Grant Program awarded Putnam County $1,457,989 in state funding for local road and bridge projects, according to State Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle).

The Community Crossings Matching Grant Program provides local communities funding for road reconstruction, bridge preservation, intersection improvements and other projects. This year, 245 Indiana communities will receive more than $200 million in state matching grants.

"Investing in our local roads and bridges is essential for keeping our communities connected and well-maintained," said State Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle). "These funds will go a long way in improving infrastructure and fostering economic growth, ensuring Hoosiers can travel safely and efficiently for years to come."
Indiana was recently ranked as the best state in the nation for overall road conditions by Consumer Affairs, noting our low rate of traffic fatalities and quality of roads.
Baird said to qualify for funding, smaller municipalities must provide a 25 percent match in local funds, while larger communities must provide a 50 percent match. The state requires 50 percent of available matching funds be awarded annually to communities within counties with a population of 50,000 or less. Since 2016, Community Crossings has awarded more than $2 billion to improve local roads and bridges.