Highway Projects Force Oversize Loads to Travel Through Knox

 
 

More oversize loads are being routed through Knox as a result of road construction projects in LaPorte County. A superload is classified as a vehicle larger than 16 feet wide, 110 feet long, 15 feet tall or weighing more than 120,000 pounds, according to INDOT officials.

They can’t use U.S. 30 due to an ongoing bridge replacement project west of State Road 39. Loads wider than 13 feet are not allowed in that area at this time. In order to get to U.S. 421 the drivers have to use U.S. 35 as a detour. State Road 8 is also closed between State Road 39 and U.S. 421 for a bridge repair project. As a result freight has to use U.S. 35 to get to State Road 10 and go west and south.

INDOT spokesman Doug Moats says the loads vary, and there is no way to pinpoint which ones are coming through Starke County. He did tell WKVI News he attended a meeting at the Ports of Indiana last week, and officials mentioned they had several ships coming in with wind turbine propellers.