Hamlet Council President Urges INDOT to Address Safety Concerns at U.S. 30 Construction Site

 

Hamlet officials are demanding answers from INDOT, after a U.S. 30 construction project has led to a spike in accidents. During Wednesday’s town council meeting, Council President Dave Kesvormas complained that the town wasn’t told about the work ahead of time. “Legally, technically, U.S. 30 goes through town because that parcel on the northeast side of 30 is our parcel, so 30 goes through,” he explained. “The state didn’t contact us, nor did the contractor, and yet, we’ve had all these series of accidents.”

Water and Street Superintendent Fred Rowe said the only contact he got from the contractor was a request to use water from the town’s system. Kesvormas felt the town could have worked with the contractor to properly prepare the site.

He told the rest of the council that he planned to email INDOT officials Wednesday night and urge them to take a look. “I think that they should come down and at least slow the traffic down,” he said. “It’s not even slowed down. I mean, there’s still semis plowing through at 55, and how can you expect a big rig like that to stop when somebody’s going to turn south on Starke Street, or much less, somebody cutting across it?”

If the situation isn’t improved, Kesvormas said the town may have to close Starke Street at U.S. 30, one of the main entrances into Hamlet. “I know it’ll upset people, and the gas station and other businesses will be upset, but I mean, I’ve got to weigh it out.”

He noted that at this point, town officials have no clue how long the project is supposed to take.