Senate GOP Budget Proposal Includes $400 Million For Roads

The Senate Republican budget proposal mirrors its House counterpart in setting aside $400 million for future road projects.  The Senate’s budget leader says he’d like to keep that money in state coffers the next two years.

In the 2013 budget, lawmakers created the Major Moves 2020 fund that put aside $400 million for future projects. But the Pence administration, with State Budget Committee approval, took that money and spent it on road projects over the last two years. 

With lawmakers set to move a new $400 million into the fund, Republican Sen. Luke Kenley says he’s going to be more reluctant to release that money to INDOT right away. He notes that the state needs to have a serious discussion about what he calls the “big picture” of future road funding needs.

“And that’s a 2017 discussion based on the studies and the environmental impact statements on some of these major projects," Kenley said. "So I’m hopeful that we can save that money for that time and then turn it in the right direction.”

House budget leader Tim Brown says he doesn’t have any plans for the Major Moves 2020 money, but won’t commit to keeping it in the fund for the next two years.