Shutdown of road across Indiana-Illinois line irks drivers

HAMMOND, Ind. (AP) - The surprise shutdown of a road across the Indiana-Illinois state line due to deteriorating pavement conditions is irking drivers who use the busy route.

The (Northwest Indiana) Times reports Hammond, Indiana, on May 24 closed 136th Street, known locally as Boy Scout Road and as 134th Street on the Illinois side.

The Hammond mayor's chief of staff Phil Taillon says a contractor is evaluating the asphalt and next week will make recommendations on fixing it. Until it's repaired, the road is expected to remain closed.

The unannounced closure caused frustration on both sides of the state line, with drivers forced to take a detour more than a mile (1.6-kilometers) to the south. Some business operators in the area have expressed concern that a protracted closure would drive customers away.

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Information from: The Times, http://www.nwitimes.com