WASHINGTON – Congressman Baird (IN-04) today announced that Indiana will receive a total of $5 million in Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for highway improvement projects.

“These funds will revitalize important infrastructure along this heavy traffic corridor and provide the town of Avon with more economic opportunities,” Congressman Baird said.

In Avon, a $5 million BUILD Grant is being awarded to improve approximately 1.2 miles of US 36/Rockville Road, adding an additional travel lane in each direction, replacing the two-way left turning-lane with a raised/curbed median, implementing access control to reduce multiple conflicts, installing infrastructure to accommodate non-motorized travel, and modernizing existing signalized intersections.

In addition, the DOT announced Hancock County would receive $22.5 million BUILD Grant to improve infrastructure for Interstate 70. The interstate will be expanded from two to three lanes in each direction, replace failing pavement along approximately five miles of westbound lanes, and rehabilitate deficient pavement along another approximately five miles of eastbound and westbound lanes within an approximate ten-mile stretch of I-70. Additionally, the eastbound lane drop and westbound lane at Mt. Comfort Road will be reconfigured.

In May, Indiana’s entire Congressional delegation sent a letter to DOT Secretary Elaine Chao supporting the Indiana Department of Transportation’s applications for these projects. 

“Indiana is known as the Crossroads of America with nearly 12,000 miles of highways and more than 4,000 miles of rail lines within our borders. Recently, Indiana has taken responsible actions to ensure that its state-level infrastructure program serves the needs of Hoosiers and all Americans who traverse the state each day. In 2017, our state implemented a long-term transportation plan that fully funded maintenance and construction on existing highways for at least the next 20 years, provided funding certainty for transformative projects like the extension of Interstate 69 from Indianapolis to Evansville, and provided significant increases in funding to local governments for city, town and county road projects. Federal funding through these BUILD grants will ensure that these critical corridors are able to continue facilitating national commerce,” they wrote.

View the full letter HERE.

The letter was signed by U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.), and Representatives James R. Baird (R-IN-04), Jim Banks (R-IN-03), Susan W. Brooks (R-IN-05), Larry Bucshon M.D. (R-IN-08), Andre Carson (D-IN-07), Trey Hollingsworth (R-IN-09), Greg Pence (R-IN-06), Pete Visclosky (D-IN-01), and Jackie Walorski (R-IN-02).

***