INDOT Archives - Region3A

Region 3A Assists in Securing Grants for Lifesaving Roadway Projects

admin on February 15, 2023

Ten Indiana communities have received funding through the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant to complete new roadway projects aimed at eliminating dangerous intersections and roads. With grant-writing assistance from Region 3A, Huntington County was awarded $200,000. Per the USDOT, the funds will be used “to develop a comprehensive safety action plan.” Neighboring Whitley County also secured $60,000 in funds through SS4A. In the state of Indiana, all SS4A funding went to safety action plan development. For more information, check out this article from the Journal Gazette: Federal grants will help communities make roads safer

Region 3A is proud to empower lifesaving programs through successful grant writing. We work with Huntington, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash and Whitley counties to streamline the process of securing state and federal funding, bringing the expertise necessary to ensure maximum awards.

For serious traffic engineering projects that depend on state or federal funding, successful grant awards can mean life or death for motorists. Huntington had 26 traffic-related fatalities between 2016 and 2020, according to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. The county’s average annual fatality rate per capita is 14. On Valentine’s Day of this year, two drivers were seriously injured in a crash on US-24 in Roanoke. A comprehensive plan and new roadway projects will make crashes like this less likely. With the help of Region 3A, Huntington County is evolving into a safer county. We hope this is just the beginning.

INDOT Planning and Environmental Linkages Study

Chris McKim on March 11, 2021

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) recently announced that they will begin a study to improve the U.S. 30 corridor from Valparaiso to the Ohio state line. The U.S. 30 Coalition received support for the study from Governor Eric Holcomb, INDOT Commissioner Joe McGuinness, and the Northern Indiana legislative delegation.

The Coalition cited a freeway as the best possible solution to improve U.S. 30 due to the safety and economic disadvantages associated with the current structure.

The Planning and Environment Linkages Study

The study will allow INDOT to examine various options to improve the safety, traffic flow, freight movement and economic development potential of the corridor, including the construction of a freeway. INDOT cited that the study will recognize the importance of U.S. 30 remaining a consistent type of roadway and not a series of individual improvements. They also noted that it will not simply examine the quickest or least expensive solution.

The Planning and Environmental Linkage study will examine the route and consider community, economic and environmental goals they evaluate safety and mobility solutions on U.S. 30.

Community Impact and Development

The Coalition credits the northern Indiana business community, who made it clear to Holcomb and his staff that business retention and expansion is at risk without improving U.S. 30 to a freeway. The Coalition will work with INDOT through the study process, making sure that communities’ interests are well represented.

The U.S. 30 Coalition is an advocacy group is leading the effort in upgrading the current roadway to a freeway to be sure that U.S. 30 works for community members, while providing safe travel for drivers.

Region 3-A fully supports the study to determine if the project is warranted based on the impact it could potentially have on improving safety and growing the regional economy.