New Toll Road Barricades

The private company now in charge of the Indiana Toll Road makes its first major change.

If you've driven on the highway recently, you've probably noticed a lot of barricades and barrels in between you and the other side of the road.

ITR Concession Company, which now operates the Toll Road, blocked all of the so called "cross-overs", that's the slab of concrete you can use to go in between the eastbound and westbound lanes.

You can call them the "oops lane." A popular place for drivers to turn around when they miss their exit on the Indiana Toll Road.

Jill Shauger admits to making u-turns, she says, "On occasion I have, once or twice, yes."

Mike Geers says he sees people turning around all the time. Geers says, " I drive maybe 500 miles a week for sales and see it probably two to three times a week."

Drivers on the Toll Road, now forced to turn around at the nearest exit. These barricades sit at every single cross-over preventing drivers from doing u-turns.

Matt Pierce, Indiana Toll Road Spokesman says, "We saw it day one as a potential hazard and in light of recent events we want to do everything we can do to eliminate those possibilities for hazards on the road."

The new safety measure poses a potential problem for the state troopers who patrol this 156 mile stretch of highway everyday.

When he had access to them, Trooper Jeff Dolson used cross-overs at least 15 to 20 times a day.

Jeff Dolson Indiana State Police says, "It's been somewhat eliminated, but we're having to go to other areas or go down to exits to get turned around."

While cutting across the grassy median is an option for Dolson in good weather, it is risky in the rain, and impossible when there's snow. So these barrels will soon come down, in their place, these yellow poles emergency crews can drive over.

Matt Pierce Indiana Toll Road Spokesman says, "We'll be training Indiana State Police and local first responders, fire, ambulance on how to cross these barriers without damaging their vehicles, but if general motorists try to cross them without proper training they would damage their car quite extensively."

As for the new addition to the cross-overs, drivers are all for it. Jill Shauger says, "I think it's a good idea. Anything that promotes safety I think it's great. Mike Geers says, "The worst thing that can happen is someone get into an accident because somebody else is trying to be lazy or forgetful."

Until the new permanent poles are installed, troopers will have to continue cutting across the median.

If they can't do that though they'll have to travel to the nearest exit which can really delay response times.

In between South Bend and LaPorte there are no exits for 23-miles which is a little concerning for police. The goal is to have all of the permanent poles in place by the end of next month.

 

WSJV Television, Inc., Fox 28