Rutherford County State Senators Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) and Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville)announced today that over $162,000 in grants have been approved to aid six local agencies in their highway safety efforts.  The legislators made the announcement today after being notified by the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Office.  The grants include $5,000 to the Eagleville Police Department and $5,000 to the Middle Tennessee State University Police Department for high visibility law enforcement campaigns.  The other grants include $15,000 to the Smyrna Police Department for their Saving People on the Roads of Tennessee (SPORT) network, $74,985 to the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office for the Sheriff’s Office Traffic Enforcement Program (S.T.E.P.), $41,932 to the LaVergne Police Department for their saturation alcohol control program and $20,160 to the Rutherford County DUI Court Program.

 

         “I am very pleased that our county has received these highway safety grants to help make our roads safer," said Senator Tracy, who is Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.  "I also appreciate all the hard work that our local officials have done in helping us to receive these funds."

 

         According to Senator Ketron, the grants were issued to agencies that successfully applied for funding based on need.  Applications were reviewed by the state’s Highway Safety Office and then scored by both their internal staff and other highway safety advocates.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides the funding for GHSO grants.  Ketron serves on the Senate Finance Committee.

 

“These grants will give our local communities additional funds that should help upgrade their efforts to make our roads safer and to protect our citizens from those who drink and drive,” Ketron added.  “We will continue to work to make our roads safer.”