Starke County Commissioners Approve Application for Local Road Safety Plan Grant

The Starke County Commissioners heard about a Local Road Safety Plan Grant during their meeting Monday.

K-IRPC representative Shawn Cain informed the commissioners of what a Local Road Safety Plan grant could do in terms of helping the county. In a previous story, Starke County Highway Superintendent Dan Dipert informed Starke County Council members that the county is higher than the state average in animal and intersection accidents. He said he believes putting a plan together would open up the county to good opportunities when it comes to roadway safety.

A Local Road Safety Plan provides a framework for organizing and prioritizing roadway safety improvements on local and rural roads. The process of developing a Local Road Safety Plan can be tailored to local protocols, needs and issues.

Cain said the county would be able to apply for an $800,000 grant through the Indiana Department of Transportation. The grant would be covered 80 percent by INDOT and a 20 percent match would need to be provided by the county. She said the maximum amount the county would be expected to pay is $23,750 but K-IRPC expects that to be considerably lower based on proposals they have seen.

Cain said the application for the grant is due July 10. She added if the commissioners were to apply for the grant, it is expected the grant would be awarded by the end of 2023.

The commissioners made a motion to apply for the Local Road Safety Plan Grant with matching funds up to $23,750. That motion was seconded and passed unanimously by vote.

The next commissioner meeting is scheduled to be Monday, June 19 at 6:00 p.m. CT in the ground floor meeting room of the Starke County Annex Building No. 1 at 53 E. Mound Street in Knox. The public is welcome to attend.