The Federal Transit Administration's agreement with the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District will allow construction to start on expanding the South Shore rail line to a double track between Gary and Michigan City.

Leaders in the Evansville area say they're expecting action in the coming year toward the construction of an Interstate 69 bridge over the Ohio River between Indiana and Kentucky.

The state distributes grants to rural communities to help them with projects such as infrastructure improvement, public facilities and economic development.

Work on the 5-mile-long tunnel pressed ahead during 2020 despite the pandemic, weather issues, mechanical problems with the boring machine that is drilling the tunnel and improperly marked old pipes.

The project includes four new stations: two in Hammond, one in Munster and one at the border of Munster and Dyer.

A $22.5 million grant will be used to make improvements to Interstate 70 in Hancock County east of Indianapolis, including adding a third lane in each direction. Another $5 million grant will be used to upgrade U.S. 36 in Avon.

Indianapolis officials celebrated the completion of recent improvements on the intersection of Talbott and 12th streets Wednesday in the citys Old Northside Neighborhood.

Crews began working Tuesday to repair the ramp from Interstate 70 to I-465 on Indianapolis' east side. It was damaged

The Indiana Department of Transportation closed eastbound I-70 on Monday between the highway's North Split with Interstate 65 near downtown Indianapolis to Interstate 465 on the city's east side.

Indiana first awarded the local road funding grants in 2016. Larger counties, cities and towns must match 50 percent of the money the state sends, while smaller communities only have to come up with 25 percent.