The Indiana Department of Transportation will soon be accepting applications for transportation projects in rural communities. This round of funding is for design, development, and land purchase for projects that will be bid during the fiscal year starting July of 2020.
INDOT estimates it will have between $80 and $100 million in federal transportation funding to distribute to rural areas. While Metropolitan Planning Organizations distribute federal highway funds to local governments in the state’s urban areas, it’s up to INDOT to do it in other parts of the state.
Included in this call for applications is $5 million in federal funding for sidewalk improvements. INDOT also plans to make $2.5 million available each year to upgrade crosswalks and other sidewalk infrastructure along state highways in both rural and urban areas. It’s part of INDOT’s new “Common Paths” program, designed to oversee projects that incorporate all forms of transportation, including non-motorized travel and public transportation.
More information about “Common Paths” can be found on the INDOT website.
