The Greene County Sheriff’s Department is asking drivers to follow the official detour around the construction project on State Road 54 east of Bloomfield in the Ridgeport area, and to slow down and be mindful when traveling on rural gravel roadways.

In early June, the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) announced an emergency closure on the SR 54 highway at Crowe Road due to complications from a slide. They said maintenance crews had been called in to repair a hole and then a technical services team identified a concern beneath the driving lane. The hole was stabilized but INDOT’s engineering and support staff recommended an immediate road closure that would stay in place until the slide was corrected. In other words, this closure is going to be in effect for quite a while.

During this closure, local traffic has access up to the point of closure and all other traffic is asked to follow the official detour.

Motorists on the official detour are driving on U.S. 231, I-69, SR 45 and SR 54.

Some motorists have not been following the official detour and have been using county roads but that has caused some issues.

The Greene County Sheriff’s Department is reporting that several complaints have been received reporting excessive speed, vehicles leaving the roadway, vehicles driving through local residents’ yards and unsafe operation of motor vehicles.

In addition, several incidents of drivers moving the road closure signs have been reported.

This comes at a time when local farmers are operating large and slow-moving farm equipment on local roads.

According to a press release from the sheriff’s department, all non-local traffic needs to follow the official detour. The Greene County Sheriff’s Department will be enforcing all local and state traffic laws in this area.