Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Police Commission mulls bumping Calumet Road speed limit to 25 mph

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By KEVIN NEVERS

The speed limit on Calumet Road--both North and South Calumet Road--north of Porter Ave. is 20 miles per hour. South of Porter Ave. the speed limit jumps to 30 mph.

But motorists who actually obey the 20-mph speed limit, or even just sort of obey it, often find themselves tailgated.

Now the Chesterton Police Commission is considering bringing the posted limit north of Porter Ave. more in line with the limit south of it.

The issue, in fact, occasioned quite a bit of discussion at the commission’s meeting Friday morning, after Police Chief Dave Cincoski reported that a traffic study conducted of North Calumet Road only--between Wabash Ave. and River Ave.--found that 89 percent of motorists actually travel quite a bit faster than 20 mph: 29, to be exact.

That 89th percentile finding is enough to warrant an increase in the speed limit but only by 5 mph. That’s because, Cincoski said, under the Indiana Uniform Manual of Traffic Control Devices, speed limits may only go up in 5-mph increments, and only by a single 5-mph increment per study.

Members were about to endorse an increase in the posted limit on North Calumet Road when Town Council Member--and CPD liaison--Emerson DeLaney, R-5th, suggested that three different speed limits along a single stretch of roadway might make for odd driving habits and traffic patterns: 30 mph on South Calumet Road between 1100N to Porter Ave.; 20 mph on South Calumet between Porter Ave. and the Norfolk-Southern grade-crossing; and then 25 mph on North Calumet Road between the railroad tracks and Indian Boundary Road

“I’m just looking at smoothness,” DeLaney said.

In the end members voted unanimously to conduct a second, more comprehensive traffic study of the prevailing speeds along Calumet Road between Porter Ave. and River Ave., with a view to the feasibility and advisability of increasing the posted limit along the whole stretch to 25 mph.

Re: Parking Violations

In other business, members voted unanimously on Cincoski’s recommendation to endorse an increase in the late fee for a parking-violation fine from $15 to $25, over and above the $25 fine itself. A person issued a parking ticket has 10 days in which to pay it. Under current Town Code, that fine is automatically bumped to $40 if not paid in 10 days; under the proposed amendment, it would jump to $50.

As part of that vote, members also endorsed a change of the venue at which folks must pay their fines for parking violations: from the CPD to the Clerk-Treasurer’s Office in the municipal complex at 1490 Broadway.

The Town Council must take action on the proposed amendment to Town Code.

Open Corporalcy

Meanwhile, members voted unanimously to hold an executive session at 9 a.m. Wednesday, June 29, for the purpose of interviewing four first-class officers who have applied for promotion to an open corporalcy in the department.

Welcome Aboard,

Pete Duda

Orlich took a moment at the beginning of the meeting to welcome the commission’s newest member: Pete Duda, who served with the CPD himself for 31 years before retiring with the rank of lieutenant and in the position of patrol commander.

“It’s great to see you back,” Orlich said.

Notes of Gratitude

The commission took receipt of three thank-you notes:

¥From the Westlund Family, with a $100 contribution to the CFD Gift Fund enclosed: “Thank you very much for keeping our community safe. I especially appreciate your presence at the Duneland Schools which encourages kids to think of officers as their friends and neighbors.”

¥From Burns Harbor Town Marshal Mike Heckland, expressing gratitude to the CPD for participating in the saturation patrol on May 19 occasioned by a visit of the Hells Angels to a Burns Harbor tavern for a charity event.

¥And from an anonymous well-wisher: “Thank you for defending our community each day with your life. The sacrifices you make each day are truly appreciated. You are a brave police officer and our hero! From an appreciative neighbor and friend.”

May in Review

In May the CPD responded to 795 calls (749 in April); filed 68 cases (70); issued 100 citations and 89 warnings (57 and 103); and investigated 38 accidents with 19 injuries (39 accidents with nine injuries).

Calls for service in April included the following: 105 suspicious vehicles or persons (73); 24 thefts (zero); 43 alarms (45); one overdose (one); 10 animal complaints (11); 266 traffic stops (257); two missing persons (one); one report of battery (two); two burglaries (zero); 20 disturbances (26); one report of forgery/counterfeit (zero); two reports of fraud (four); one report of sexual assault (one); and two reports of sex offenses (two).

 

 

Posted 6/27/2016

 

 
 
 
 

 

 

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