Motorists avoid I-70 construction with drives through countryside
GREENFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — The official detour to get around the Interstate 70 construction takes drivers to U.S. 40, but more savvy drivers are finding country roads are the quickest way around the construction and they are not slowing down for their drives through the countryside.
Frizty Hueson and her son Mike have a front-row seat to this summer’s greatest race in Hancock County. “We are not used this,” Fritzy said.
From sunup to sundown and many nights later, their road is an unofficial bypass around the I-70 construction.
“People are bypassing Greenfield. Part of it is because of the construction on State Road 9 and part of it is because of construction on 70. That is a lot of it right there. They are bypassing the backup,” Mike said.
The speed limit on the Huesons’ county road is 50 mph, but waiting to spot drivers pushing the limit doesn’t take long. The county roads are not built to handle hundreds of semitractor-trailers a day.
Mike told I-Team 8 that the county has done a pretty good job of fixing potholes.
Just down the road is a curve that several drivers have failed to navigate properly. Frizty said, “And the semis have been out in farmer’s field several times. They have had to call wreckers to get them out of it, just because they are not paying attention, driving too fast.”
Before I-70 was built, Knightstown reaped the rewards of a major highway, U.S. 40, coming through town; today, it’s another story,
While sitting on a bench watching the traffic, Edward Hughett said, “I think I’m losing my hearing.”
The peace and quiet of the town with 2,100 people have been replaced by the constant roars of trucks, brakes and people in a hurry to get somewhere else.
Diana Eyster owns a small shop on U.S. 40. She fears for the safety of her customers getting in and out of their cars. “I’m worried their car door will get knocked off or maybe they could even be injured.”
The speed limit through Knightstown is 30 mph and, depending in the traffic, many drivers are in hurry to get back to the interstate. “But, with some of the larger trucks going like 60 mph in this 30-mph zone, no one is going to get out their car, or very few people,” Eyster said.
I-Team 8 was told the Knightstown Police Department is running radar detection units in the area.
As for other areas off I-70, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office said it’s patrolling the I-70 construction zone.
Indiana Department of Transportation did not respond to calls for comment on this story.