Roads closed: A number of local roads and highways were closed due to high water over the weekend as the remnants of Hurricane Ike swept through the region. Here, 1100 N in Chesterton is blocked by high water and closed off with barricades. Traffic in the distance is heading east on 1100 N to Wiseway and other businesses near Bypass 49. (Tribune photo by Margaret L. Willis)

Flooding at Graham Woods: This photo shows Graham Drive in Graham Woods taken about 4:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon as a resident tries to decide whether to drive through the water to get home.

(Photo provided by Bev Stegeman)

By KEVIN NEVERS

Flooding inconvenienced untold numbers of travelers this weekend, as highways and even an interstate were closed by high water, and in at least one case an Amtrak train was forced to off-load passengers in the Town of Porter when the tracks became impassable in the area of the Chesterton wastewater treatment plant.

At 10:10 p.m. on Sunday the Indiana Department of Transportation announced the following closures due to flooding:

•I-80/94 between U.S. 41 (Calumet Ave.) and Ind. 152 (Cline Ave.) in Lake County. The detour: eastbound I-80/94 to northbound U.S. 41 to eastbound Ind. 152, back to I-80/94; westbound I-80/94 from westbound Ind. 152 to southbound U.S. 41, back to I-80/94.

•U.S. Highway 6 between Ind. 149 and Meridian Road.

•Ind. 149 between U.S. 6 and C.R. 600N.

•The eastbound lanes of U.S. Highway 30 between Ind. 2 and Sager Road.

I-94 was briefly closed on Saturday between Ind. 49 in Chesterton and U.S. Highway 421 in Michigan City when water from an adjacent field flooded the roadway. Two eastbound lanes re-opened to traffic at 6:15 p.m. and two westbound lanes at 6:32 p.m.

Meanwhile, an Amtrak train stopped in the middle of the afternoon on Sunday in Downtown Porter to off-load passengers onto a number of buses when its way was blocked by flooding on the tracks.

County Road Closures

As of 2:45 p.m. on Sunday the Porter County Highway Department had completely exhausted its supply of “Road Closed” signs and barricades and was responding only to reports of downed trees.

The following roads in Duneland had been closed due to flooding:

•Meridian Road from C.R. 900N to C.R. 1050N.

•C.R. 1300N from C.R. 375E to C.R. 450E.

•C.R. 1400N from C.R. 200E to C.R. 250E.

•C.R. 250E from the Indiana Toll Road to C.R. 1050N.

•C.R. 1100N from C.R. 400E to C.R. 550E.

The following roads elsewhere in Porter County were also closed:

•C.R. 600W from Division Road to Hollywood.

•Division Road from Ind. 49 to Sager Road.

•The Sturdy Road viaduct, including Martinal Road.

•In South Haven, Midway Drive from McCool Road to Timberline Parkway and Juniper Road from Pinewood Drive to Midway Drive.

•C.R. 450N from C.R. 475W to C.R. 625W.

•C.R. 400N from C.R. 375W to Ind. 130.

•C.R. 500W and C.R. 1000S from C.R. 900S to U.S. Highway 231.

•C.R. 400W from Ind. 8 to C.R. 900S.

•C.R. 100N from C.R. 600W to C.R. 725W.

•C.R. 700S/750S from Ind. 2 to C.R. 500W.

•C.R. 675W from C.R. 1000S to the Kankakee River.

•C.R. 250W from C.R. 900S to the Kankakee River.

Safety Tips for Driving

Motorists were being urged to use extreme caution while traveling Hoosiers roadways in the wake of flooding.

“If you are driving during a flood, it is important to be cautious,” the Indiana Department of Homeland Security said in a statement released jointly on Sunday with the Indiana State Police and the INDOT. “Roads may be washed out, unexpected potholes could be covered in water, and your car could float away in only a foot of water.”

Those who must drive should follow these tips:

•Do not drive through flooded areas. If you see a flooded-out roadway ahead, turn around and find another route to get to your destination.

•If there is no other route, proceed to higher ground and wait for waters to subside.

•Even if the water appears shallow enough to cross, do not attempt to cross a flooded road. Water can conceal dips, or worse, floodwaters can damage roadways, washing away the entire road surface and a significant amount of ground.

•Remember, six inches of water will reach the bottom of most cars, causing loss of control or possible stalling.

•If your car stalls, abandon it immediately and climb to higher ground.

•One foot of water will float many vehicles.

•Two feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles, including SUVs and pickups.

Posted 9/15/2008