http://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/reg...63aed62546.html

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Good thing it was open today. I just used it this morning on my way to Pittsburgh.

Police TICKET drivers ignoring Westville detour

Stan Maddux Times Correspondent

WESTVILLE — Westville police have been busy issuing tickets to drivers veering around a major road construction blockade after having to tow a number of stuck or disabled vehicles.

LaPorte County police have been lending a hand, especially with truck drivers venturing down some of the side streets as a shortcut instead of remaining on the posted detour.


For about the past six weeks, drivers have not been allowed past U.S 421 and Ind. 2 because of major reconstruction of the intersection.

A more than 3-mile stretch of U.S 421 from Ind. 2 to County Road 350 South is also being repaved. All of the work should be finished by the end of this month, according to the Indiana Department of Transportation.

And ignoring the detour signs could cost drivers about $160 a ticket, police said.

Town Marshal Darrin Mercer said tow trucks have pulled out vehicles stuck in ditches and yards after driving around the barricade and even recently when the work moved from the north side to the south side of the intersection.

"Our traffic stops have probably tripled over the last month with the construction that's going on," Mercer said.

The hook has also been called for vehicles with bent rims and blown tires from hitting sections of uneven pavement.

Initially, drivers were simply warned, but now tickets are being handed out because of the extent of the problem.

"At some point I think you have to make a larger impact. When one thing's not working, you have to move to the next," Mercer said.

Many truck drivers have also not followed the posted detour to try and reduce travel delays.

Instead of using highways like U.S 6 and Interstate 94, some heavy trucks are venturing down some of the county roads, which have crumbled in spots from the weight, Mercer said.

LaPorte County Police Chief Deputy Ron Heeg said up to 30 or more tickets have been issued by his department over the past month or so to truck drivers caught using the side roads.

County Roads 200 South and 250 South have been among the more popular shortcuts truck drivers have tried taking.

"They're coming up to the barricades realizing they can't get through and sneaking around using the county roads," Heeg said.

Detour details

The intersection of U.S. 421 and Ind. 2 is completely closed during a construction project expected to last through the end of the month. No traffic will be able to travel through the intersection.

State road detours must be along state-maintained roadways only.

Drivers traveling north on U.S. 421 will be detoured west on U.S. 6, north on Ind. 49, east on Interstate 94 and back to U.S. 421.

Drivers traveling south on U.S. 421 will be detoured west on I-94, south on Ind. 49, east on U.S. 6 and back to U.S. 421.

Drivers traveling east on Ind. 2 will be detoured south on Ind. 39, west on U.S. 6, north on U.S. 421, west on U.S. 6 and back to Ind. 2.

Drivers traveling west on Ind. 2 will be detoured east on U.S. 6, south on U.S. 421, east on U.S. 6, north on Ind. 39 and back to Ind. 2.

The LaPorte exit to the toll road is now being rebuilt.