Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Local Traffic Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Aberdeen residents press commissioners to limit truck traffic and add safety measures on Tower Road
Summary
Residents from the Aberdeen neighborhood urged Porter County officials to restrict through truck traffic, install signage and address pedestrian safety on Tower Road; the board asked staff to study routes, signage and maintenance and to return with recommendations by early February.
Residents of the Aberdeen neighborhood told the Porter County Board of Commissioners that large trucks have been using Tower Road and nearby streets as shortcuts, creating noise and safety risks for pedestrians and drivers. Jerry Eagle, representing neighborhood leaders, told commissioners the area includes about 605 homes and presented maps showing locations where developers’ trucks and gravel-haulers have cut through residential streets.
“There's approximately 605 homes,” Jerry Eagle said during public comment, asking the county to consider no-through-truck or 12‑ton restrictions on Tower Road and adjacent links to prevent cut‑through heavy vehicles. He requested additional signage at identified hotspots, pedestrian-yield signs, road painting, and potential speed mitigation measures.
Commissioners acknowledged the concern and described several near-term and long-term options: conducting engineering analyses, consulting with NIPSCO where their right-of-way and towers affect access, carrying out speed studies, and considering signage or minor infrastructure changes (solar flashing lights, painted markings). One commissioner recommended taking a global approach to truck routing across several nearby roads rather than applying isolated restrictions.
Staff committed to collecting data and returning to the board with recommendations and requested actions before the next construction season. The board asked staff to aim to report back by Feb. 1 so residents would have information before spring and summer use of the trail and neighborhood roads.
Next steps: county staff will undertake engineering and enforcement analysis, contact utility landowners as needed, and prepare a report with options and cost estimates for the board by early February.
