LAWRENCE COUNTY — Lawrence County communities are set to receive a massive infrastructure boost, securing more than $1.4 million in state matching funds to improve local roads and bridges, according to State Senator Eric Koch (R-Bedford).
The funding is part of a larger $4.6 million package awarded across Senate District 44 through the state’s Community Crossings Matching Grant Program (CCMG). This additional round of state investments was made available following the passage of Senate Enrolled Act 179, a legislative measure supported by Koch to expand local road funding resources.
“Good local roads and safe bridges are important to the quality of life in the communities I represent. That is why I supported SEA 179 this year to allow for more road funding to assist cities, towns, and counties,” Sen. Koch said. “This money will help boost local infrastructure, and I am pleased to see our local communities taking advantage of it.”
The Lawrence County Breakdown
Three local government entities within the county successfully captured funding in this highly competitive round, bringing a combined total of $1,474,101.34 directly into Lawrence County infrastructure:
- Lawrence County (Unincorporated Areas): $820,814.64
- City of Bedford: $498,200.70
- Town of Oolitic: $155,086.00
These state dollars will allow local highway and street departments to significantly extend their summer and fall paving budgets.
How the Matching Grants Work
The CCMG program, administered by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), matches up to $1 million annually for local road and bridge repairs. To ensure smaller municipalities can effectively compete for funding, the program utilizes a tiered matching system based on population:
- 80% State / 20% Local Match: Awarded to smaller communities, including the Town of Oolitic and Lawrence County, whose populations fall under the state’s 55,000 threshold. This allows smaller local budgets to stretch four times further.
- 50% State / 50% Local Match: Required for larger municipalities and counties exceeding the population thresholds.
Other communities represented by Koch in District 44 also received funding in this round, including West Baden Springs $878,664.45, French Lick $842,840.86, Seymour $830,053.97, Paoli $413,864, and Nashville $161,676.69. Since its creation by the Indiana General Assembly in 2016, the Community Crossings program has injected more than $2 billion into local infrastructure projects statewide.
Sen. Eric Koch represents Senate District 44, which encompasses Lawrence, Brown, Jackson, and Orange counties, along with a portion of Monroe County.
