I heard the City of Carmel got a $1 million grant from the state for local road projects. Exactly what will you use this money for?

As we continue to find ways to bring our local taxpayer dollars back to our community, the City of Carmel was pleased to learn that in December we found out that we are receiving a $1 million Community Crossings grant from the Indiana Department of Transportation – or INDOT – for major road resurfacing projects. This is not the first time we have received such a grant. A few years ago we received a similar grant that helped us finance and build a new roundabout at Elm Street and Range Line Road.

A few years ago we received a similar grant that helped us finance and build a new roundabout at Elm Street and Range Line Road.

Our City directors and employees are always looking for ways to obtain grants from the state, the federal government and other sources to help finance local projects. This is a good example of our Engineering Department keeping up on the state’s Community Crossings program, which doled out $101 million to more than 240 cities and towns … including Carmel.

Our grant will fund seven major road resurfacing projects, including:

  • 126th Street from Keystone Parkway to Hazel Dell Parkway
  • Spring Mill Road from 96th Street to Illinois Street
  • 141st Street from Ditch Road to Towne Road
  • Lakeshore Drive from 96th Street to 106th Street
  • Hazel Dell Parkway from 116th Street to 126th Street
  • 96th Street from Michigan Road to U.S. 31
  • Emerson Road from Guilford Road to 4th Avenue

These projects were chosen after the Engineering Department worked with our Carmel Street Department to identify larger roadway segments that were projected to undergo resurfacing this year to maximize our potential award amount. This $1 million grant will supplement the $4.5 million earmarked in the 2021 budget for additional resurfacing projects in Carmel. In order to be eligible for funding, local governments must provide matching funds, including 50 percent for larger communities and 25 percent for smaller communities. The funding must come from a source approved for road and bridge construction.

Authored by Laura Campbell, Kevin Rider, Jeff Worrell, Tim Hannon, Sue Finkam, Miles Nelson, Anthony Green and Adam Aasen.