The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office (LPCSO) is amping up patrols due to truckers ‘blatantly ignoring’ detour signage.

On April 10, LPCSO located in La Porte, Indiana, issued a warning to the trucking community about increased enforcement in Clinton and New Durham Townships due to a large number of CMV drivers who are ignoring truck route signage during a construction project.

Police say that a roundabout construction project has forced the closure of US 6/US 421 South Junction.

The closure has forced passenger vehicle and commercial vehicle traffic onto county roads in Clinton and New Durham Townships.

Police say commercial vehicle drivers using restricted roads amid the closure is a growing problem.

From LPCSO:

Much more problematic though is the excessive amount of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers who are disregarding the state detour signage. These same drivers are then disregarding county highway signage and utilizing the county roadways as a bypass around the project closure.

As a result, county roadways are already showing signs of damage from the CMVs. Not only is the damage quite evident, but calls for service relating to these CMVs has dramatically increased. CMVs have become stuck in lawns while turning around, are being driven off roadway to complete wide turns, and the most obvious…the “professional drivers” who are blatantly ignoring the posted no truck signage and violating La Porte County Ordinance 2020-2, specifically section 71.01 (A) (4).

Last week alone, four deputies initiated 70 traffic stops with the overwhelming majority of them involving CMVs who had violated the county’s ordinance. This type of aggressive enforcement targeting CMVs will continue throughout the length of the closure.

The Westville Indiana Police Department is also increasing enforcement in the area.

“For the CMV drivers, READ the posted signage and STAY OFF the county roadways!” LPCSO said.

LPCSO asks drivers to read the county’s truck ordinance, available here.