Lynsay Clutter/ Eyewitness News
Westfield - Drivers in Hamilton County are encouraged to be on alert this week as speed limit changes and road work are set to begin along U-S 31. All the changes are meant to improve driver safety.
You will see them take place this week along US 31 between 146th street and 151st street, a heavily traveled stretch in a busy commercial district.
Traffic along the entire US 31 corridor in Hamilton County averages between 40,000 and 45,000 each day, but can go as high as 70,000 in busy areas.
This week, watch for new speed limit signs, it is going down from 55 to 45 miles per hour.
Drivers really need to pay attention when the new speed limit signs go up, because it's 55 mph along US 31 through Carmel, then at 146th, it goes down to 45 mph, and then goes back up again at 151st street.
Extra patrols, county, state, and Westfield police will be out to enforce the change.
"They're going to be looking for everything and ultimately, it will be the officer's discretion whether they ticket or warning. Our wish for the community is that they try to obey the speed limit, give everybody plenty of room and just take your time getting to and from where you're going and I think you will have no problem," said Lt. Mike Seagrave Westfield Police.
Lowering the speed limit is meant to reduce the number of rear-end crashes in the area. In fact, 65 percent of the accidents in this area were rear-end crashes.
An INDOT study found the majority of traffic was already traveling 10 miles under the posted 55 speed limit.
"That is dangerous. It's called speed differential. And if everyone was going 45 miles per hour consistently, they wouldn't have the opportunity to hit each other. When there's a difference in speed, they have the opportunity to catch up and there's more room for conflicts, " Ashley Hungate, INDOT
As another safety measure, INDOT crews will change the yellow traffic lights to the bigger, black-backed signals.They're safer because they're easier to see.
Also, give road striping crews plenty of room as they repaint pavement markings.
