Indiana receives $1.8M for safer roadways
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Several communities in Indiana are set to receive federal funding after the U.S. Department of Transportation announced a historic $800 million for more than 500 projects throughout the country. In total, 10 Indiana communities will receive a total of $1.8 million to support the Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant Program, which aims to prevent deaths and serious injuries on U.S. roadways.
The program provides $5 billion over five years for regional, local, and Tribal initiatives, including redesigned roads, improved sidewalks and additional crosswalks. The department also launched a data visualization tool that displays crash hotspots to help target necessary resources.
As part of the program, the department says both planning and implementation projects are receiving funds. Action plan grants assist communities that do not yet have a roadway safety plan, which will lay the foundation for a comprehensive set of actions, whereas implementation grants provide funding to implement strategies and projects that will reduce or eliminate transportation-related fatalities and serious injuries.
The Indiana communities receiving grant funding are listed below:
- City of East Chicago
- City of Gary
- City of Hammond
- City of Kokomo
- City of Noblesville
- City of Shelbyville
- Dubois County
- Huntington County
- Michiana Area Council of Government
- Whitley County
You can view the full list of awards by clicking here.
The awards are part of nationwide efforts to change how roadway safety is addressed in communities through local and regional efforts that are comprehensive and data-driven. The department says a new report indicates the economic impact of traffic crashes was $340 billion in 2019.
“Every year, crashes cost tens of thousands of American lives and hundreds of billions of dollars to our economy; we face a national emergency on our roadways, and it demands urgent action,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “We are proud that these grants will directly support hundreds of communities as they prepare steps that are proven to make roadways safer and save lives.”
The department says the next funding opportunity, totaling $1.1 billion, is expected to be released in April.