INDIANAPOLIS – It’s construction season in Indianapolis.
Whether it's the I-465 closure, Red Line construction or any of the dozens of other projects across the city, some drivers will find a way around backed-up detour routes.
People living in the affected neighborhoods say drivers are cutting corners, speeding and not following traffic signs when they do it.
It’s a story that RTV6 has covered throughout the city and the most common question people ask is: Where are the police?
Call 6 Investigates started looking into the issue after we noticed that IMPD isn't patrolling many of the busy side streets around those detours.
MORE | Neighbors say detoured drivers don't obey traffic signs | IMPD to step up patrols to control construction detour crashes
"If you're barreling down here at 35 miles an hour,” Natalie McCormick said as she walked around her apartment complex on the southwest side with Call 6. “You're not going to be able to stop and then that's an accident.”
Natalie said cars started cutting through her complex at Mann and Mills roads during the I-465 closure over the past couple of weeks and she's afraid it will happen again when crews start work on the other side of I-465 on Friday.
But why aren’t more IMPD officers patrolling these routes?
IMPD Lt. Michael Wolley says they're often made aware of the construction closures and detour routes, and they try to patrol those areas as best they can.
Wolley said because there are so many different side streets that people use to avoid the detour routes, they often don't even know there's an issue until someone reports it to them or they see it posted on NextDoor or social media.
He says the best way to get patrols in an area that needs them is to contact police and let them know there's an issue.
READ | Drivers not using official detour routes cause safety concerns | Parts of I-465 shut down through early October
"There's no sense venting your concerns to everyone else without telling the people who can actually solve the issue,” Wolley said.
IMPD now has a form to request traffic patrols in your area. Once a complaint is received, it can be triaged and sent to the department’s traffic unit for extra patrols.
You can file a traffic complaint in your area by going to this page on Indianapolis’ new MyIndy website.
MORE TOP STORIES | Person riding scooter struck by vehicle in downtown Indy | Two Boone County teens killed by father in double murder-suicide | Teen who died in crash during pursuit was heading to Kokomo to harm another student | What to do if you have an unburied cable in your yard | Nursing Board denies transfer of Harrison College credits to National Academy
Top Trending Videos
