Porter County Sheriff's Department

Police to crack down on Ind. 49

By Ken Kosky| Tuesday, March 31, 2009

VALPARAISO | The Porter County Sheriff's Department, Valparaiso Police Department and Indiana State Police have formed a task force to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities at Ind. 49 and County Road 400 North (Vale Park Road).
The intersection has been the site of several fatal crashes.
The Indiana Department of Transportation recently installed flashing lights to warn drivers on northbound and southbound Ind. 49 to reduce their speed in anticipation of the traffic signal.
Now, police are going to increase monitoring of the intersection. They will periodically conduct enforcement blitzes there.
"State troopers, Valparaiso and county police officers are going to watch that area very closely for both speeding and traffic signal violations," Indiana State Police Lt. Lou Brown said.
Brown is joined by Porter County Sheriff David Lain and Valparaiso Police Chief Michael Brickner in  assigning extra manpower at the intersection this spring.
This past fall, state police and Valparaiso police put together a group of 14 officers to swarm U.S. 30 and Ind. 49 after truckers caused fatal crashes on both highways. Together, they issued 79 tickets and warnings in three hours.
Police said they caught people going as fast as 80 mph and running the same red lights where fatal crashes have occurred.