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The town of Hope has been recently awarded a Community Crossing Matching Grant of nearly $300,000 for the first time in the town's nearly five previous years of receiving the grant, according to Hope Town Manager Jason Eckart. 

Since becoming town manager, Eckart has applied for the grant on behalf of the town each year and regularly received funds. However, this time was different.

The way the program works is Purdue University leads up the Local Technical Assistance Program which works in partnership with the Indiana Department of Transportation to assist with Indiana roadway certifications, including Hope.

"Every year I have to complete a street inventory of all our roads, assign a one to ten overall rating and submit it to LTAP and they submit it to the state," Eckart says. "And that is how all our Community Crossing Matching Grant system works from that." 

Eckart received a letter Monday, December 1 officially informing him the community's grant application, which was submitted in October, had been approved.

"We were able to go in for $300,000 worth of grant money, instead of our normal $150,000," he says. "So, essentially, we are going to double the amount of work we've done in previous years, which is great." 

This year Hope was awarded an 80/20 grant, meaning the state pays 80% and the community pays 20%.

"This year's grant amount will bee $298,686.05," Eckart says. "The community's contribution works out to $59,737.51."

To put it in perspective, that's a tenth of the cost of what it would be to have a road completely redone, he says. 

Eckart goes on to explain that without the town getting this grant, road repairs would be far less than what they are right now.

Keeping Hope's road assessment rating at a 7 or above works in the community's favor for current and future funding, he adds.

The town is looking at alternative methods of road treatments, including the use of Road Renew seal coating which offers texture for a skid resistance that would rival a new surface, Eckart explains.

"By using alternative methods and stretching that dollar out we can get a lot done," Eckart says. "But we always need to do resurfacing because sunbaked roadway surfaces wear with time and need repair."

Nearly one dozen streets throughout the Hope community are slated for repairs or resurfacing in the coming year, including Broad Street and Meadow Place.

If sealcoating it will ensure another 10 years of life for that roadway, it's worth the investment, Eckart says. 

Now begins the process of gathering bids for the upcoming jobs. Another process that takes a bit of time.

"This is huge for the town of Hope," Eckart says. "The Community Crossing Matching Grant program has been wonderful for the town of Hope, because we are saving a lot of money by applying for this grant."