By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
Whitewater police officers are reportedly increasing their enforcement of the “thru traffic” prohibition due to road construction on the entirety of Walworth Avenue. According to Police Chief Dan Meyer, the “bond deposit” portion of a citation can double in a road construction area, which could make for an unusually expensive ticket.
“Closed to thru traffic” means that a road is temporarily not open for people just passing through — it’s blocked off to non-local drivers who don’t need to stop in that area. The main reasons for such a closure are for the safety of the construction workers and to reduce interruptions to their work.
In this case, here are some examples of drivers who are allowed to use Walworth Avenue:
– Residents of Walworth Avenue using the street for a minimal distance to get to/from their home.
– Trucks with deliveries to Walworth Avenue addresses.
– Drivers needing to get to/from the high school or Aquatic/Fitness Center. They may only drive across Walworth at Elizabeth St. (unless they’re Walworth Ave. residents.) Reportedly the west entrance to the high school is currently closed.
– Emergency personnel.
– Construction workers on the project.
Here are examples of illegal uses of Walworth Avenue:
- Anyone turning right onto Walworth Avenue from Indian Mound Parkway. There are no homes or businesses in that section.
- Driving from Highway 12 to Indian Mound Parkway.
- Anyone driving on Walworth Avenue simply to avoid the detour.
