A vehicle heads down County Road 500W across County Road 200S in Hancock County on March 18, 2022. The intersection is slated to get a traffic circle in the coming years.
Mitchell Kirk | Daily Reporter
HANCOCK COUNTY — The state has awarded the county over $4.6 million for road improvements in the coming years.
One of the projects will bring a roundabout to a high-crash crossing that was the site of a traffic fatality less than three years ago. Others will replace two bridges that are over 50 years old.
The $4,623,200 award comes from federal transportation funding and a local match.
Gary Pool, Hancock County engineer, said over $1.87 million is for a traffic circle at County Roads 200S and 500W.
“It’s one of my high-accident intersections,” Pool said.
The crossing is currently equipped with stop signs on County Road 200S. In 2019, a driver traveling westbound on County Road 200S collided with a motorcyclist southbound on County Road 500W. The motorcyclist died as a result of his injuries.
Pool said over $1.5 million of the award is going toward replacing a bridge on County Road 700W over Buck Creek that was built in 1970. He added $1.19 million will replace a bridge on County Road 450W over Sugar Creek that was also built in 1970.
“I’m always grateful that INDOT is helping us with the grants, and I’m grateful that the [Hancock County] Commissioners allow me to pursue them,” Pool said.
Hancock County’s funds are part of over $162 million for which INDOT recently announced awards across 50 cities, towns and counties in rural parts of Indiana.
For the latest round of funding, rural communities will design, develop and purchase land for projects that would be bid during the fiscal year beginning July 2027, according to a news release from INDOT. While the funds awarded now are dedicated to construction, INDOT will also be financially participating in design, engineering and right-of-way acquisition components of the projects.
“We’re very happy about these grants, and we hope to deliver these to the public as quick as we can,” Pool said.
INDOT dedicates approximately 25% of its federal highway funds to supporting local projects each year, according to the news release. Metropolitan Planning Organizations distribute those funds to cities, towns and counties within the state’s larger urbanized areas while INDOT distributes funds outside MPO areas. Communities must contribute at least 20% in local matching funds and meet other federal requirements to receive federal funding.
