Redkey receives grant for paving

REDKEY — The town will see some paving this year.

Indiana Department of Transportation announced Thursday that Redkey was approved for a $151,317 Community Crossings grant for paving six streets.

“Oh, wonderful,” said Redkey Town Council president Dottie Quakenbush upon receiving news of the grant this morning. “That is awesome. That’s great news.

“I think it’s just wonderful. It’s much-needed for our town. … These small towns get so bogged down with broken down buildings and stuff, and anything we can do for the looks of the town is worth every bit.”

The grant requires a 25% match — $50,439 — from Redkey.

The paving will include the following:

•High Street between Meridian and Railroad streets

•Railroad Street between High and Main streets

•Sheridan Street between Meridian and Butler streets

•Grandview Street between Meridian and Butler streets

•Butler Street between Sheridan and Grandview streets

•Oak Street between Main and Vine streets

“It will be a nice asset to the town,” said Quakenbush. “Everybody needs good streets.”

Redkey was one of 218 municipalities and counties to receive grants totaling just over $100 million. Jay County Development Corporation gathered information necessary for the grant and Ryan Lefeld of Choice One Engineering put together the application.

No other Jay County communities applied during this round of grant funding. Portland, Dunkirk and Bryant were awarded Community Crossings grants in December.

Grants to other area communities announced Thursday included: $1 million for Winchester; $999,719.39 for Adams County; $758,554 for Muncie; $604,066.75 for Delaware County; $587,907.65 for Wells County; $231,201.44 for Union City; $197,657.85 for Randolph County; $137,615.25 for Montpelier; and $88,870.24 for Selma.

“Community Crossings is a major asset to Indiana cities, towns and counties as they build and modernize local roads and bridges,” INDOT Commissioner Joe McGuinness said in a press release. “The state’s funding partnership allows local partners to tackle larger scale project more quickly than would otherwise be possible, maximize their resources to complete more projects and achieve the best possible value for Hoosiers.”

Redkey was also awarded a $120,000 Community Crossings grant in April 2020. That funding covered paving for two sections of Main Street — between Railroad and Sycamore streets, and between Union and Meridian streets — as well as parts of High Street between George and Butler streets, and Butler Street between High and Bell streets.