The Butler County infrastructure bank that was formed in 2017 and took flight last year will continue into 2020.

Mark Gordon, county chief of economic development and planning, asked the county commissioners at their Wednesday meeting to approve a resolution allowing municipalities in the county to request funding from the bank for water, sewer, transportation or other infrastructure projects they might be finding difficult to fund.

The infrastructure bank provided $8.5 million for four projects last year at a 1.5 percent interest rate and 10-year loan term in its initial round of funding. Wednesday's resolution, which was approved by the commissioners, allows a second round of funding.

The low interest rates provided by the bank affords townships, boroughs and Butler the opportunity to complete projects that would be otherwise unaffordable.

The municipalities accepted for funding through the bank can also save money by using county engineering and other services to complete their projects, Gordon said.

“It's a great tool for municipalities to take advantage of,” Commissioner Kim Geyer said of the infrastructure bank. “Otherwise, a lot of these projects would not be done for 10 to 20 years.”

Leslie Osche, commissioners chairman, said the existence of the bank played a large part in the county securing the $20 million federal BUILD grant last year to widen and improve Route 228 in Middlesex Township.

“In addition to getting some work done in the county, it enabled us to leverage other dollars,” she said.

The funding for the bank comes from shale gas impact fees received by the county as well as sizable bank loans.

Gordon said he will now begin community outreach meetings to apprise municipalities that the funds will be available for infrastructure projects.

He hopes municipalities can begin applying for funds in the first quarter of 2020.

The new Butler County Infrastructure Bank provided a total of $8.5 million for four projects in 2018, the bank's inaugural year.The infrastructure bank is a county entity that lends funding to municipalities for infrastructure projects. The municipalities get a 1.5 percent interest rate and a 10-year loan term.The projects funded last year were:The MSA tunnel that will allow access to Cranberry Woods under Route 228Main lines in a sewer replacement project in Cranberry TownshipA sidewalk project in a Butler Main Street streetscape projectFlood control of Sullivan Run in Butler.