The State of Indiana has awarded Clinton County with one million dollars to repave a five-mile stretch of E. Kelley Road (150 South) from U.S. 421 to S. Maish Road. The Community Crossing Matching Grant Program provides funding to cities, towns, and counties across Indiana to make improvements to local roads and bridges.
Clinton County Highway Superintendent Rick Campbell says that stretch of Kelley Road has not been paved in 30 years. “This road is a collector,” Campbell says. “It collects all the traffic from the southeast side of the County and brings it into Frankfort. Truck traffic has really picked up on that stretch of road which adds to the wear and tear.”
Since its inception in 2016, Community Crossings has awarded over $1 billion dollars in state funds to support local road and bridge projects throughout Indiana. Clinton County has received $7 million dollars in grant money over the past seven years, allowing it to repave parts of Greenlawn Road, Sales Road, 1100 E, and 800 N.
Counties, like Clinton County, with a population of fewer than 50,000 people receive funds using a 75/25% match. That means Clinton County will be responsible for paying at least $250,000 – and anything above the $1 million threshold. County Commissioners opened bids at their meeting this morning. Bids ranged in price from $1.4 million to $1.8 million. The commissioners will announce the winning bid at their next meeting on Monday, June 5. Work is expected to start on the project this summer.
“The Community Crossing grant program has been a huge win for Clinton County,” says Jordan Brewer, president of the Clinton County Commissioners. “We are grateful to the state, but also the leadership of our Clinton County Highway Department. Their hard work behind the scenes has allowed us to stretch our budget and make road upgrades we might not otherwise have been able to afford.”
The Clinton County Highway Department is responsible for all roads, bridges, and roadway drainage systems within the unincorporated areas of Clinton County, which are not state highways, and which are not within the incorporated limits of a city or town. Clinton County has over eight hundred miles of roadway, 160 bridges, and over 2,500 culverts to maintain. The department is also responsible for maintaining the south and east county line roads.