The Indiana Department of Transportation announces that State Farm Insurance has renewed its exclusive sponsorship of Hoosier Helper urban freeway patrols just in time for Labor Day weekend travels. The sponsorship will support and supplement Hoosier Helper freeway service patrols for three years beginning Sept. 1, with an option to extend the agreement for an additional three years.
State Farm sponsors similar service patrols in a dozen other states and responded to INDOT’s February request for proposals. Under the sponsorship, State Farm logos will continue to be displayed on Hoosier Helper vehicles, operator uniforms and signs delineating the Hoosier Helper service areas.
“Our support of the Indiana DOT Hoosier Helper program embodies our ‘good neighbor’ philosophy,” said Ed Gold, State Farm advertising director. “It also underscores the continued commitment State Farm has to auto safety, while helping people recover from the unexpected, which is the heart of the State Farm mission.”
About 20 Hoosier Helper vehicles patrol heavily-traveled interstates in Indianapolis, Northwest Indiana and Southern Indiana near Louisville. Last year, Hoosier Helpers assisted more than 61,000 motorists.
“Hoosier Helpers provide a wonderful service to the public by keeping urban interstates flowing, reducing pollution, assisting motorists in times of need and saving lives,” said INDOT Commissioner Brandye Hendrickson. “Partnering with State Farm promotes the mission of the INDOT’s Hoosier Helpers while providing these services at the lowest cost to taxpayers.”
Safety break at Plainfield Rest Area
Ahead of Labor Day travels, INDOT and State Farm will host a “Safety Break” from 1 to 4 p.m. this Thursday, Sept. 1 at the I-70 westbound rest area at Mile 64 near Plainfield. The Safety Break will feature Hoosier Helpers and other INDOT vehicles on display, fun family-friendly activities and giveaways to Help life go right™ on the road. To access the Safety Break from I-70 eastbound, turn left through the State Road 267 Exit 66 and re-enter I-70 westbound.
Road work suspended
Whether you’re vacationing, visiting family and friends, or just passing through this Labor Day travel holiday, INDOT urges drivers to plan extra travel time, to stay informed on road conditions and to drive safely.
Most highway maintenance activities and construction projects will halt work during the holiday weekend to increase mobility and safety. INDOT directs its contractors to pull back barriers and barricades to the safest extent possible to accommodate the anticipated increase in holiday travel. Some restrictions will remain in place due to ongoing road construction, including:
Northern Indiana
- Sections of I-94 in LaPorte County are reduced to two lanes in each direction for rehabilitation from U.S. 421 (Exit 40) near Michigan City to the Michigan State line. Some U.S. 20/35 ramps are closed with posted detours.
- Sections of I-94 in Lake County are reduced to three lanes in each direction for maintenance of three bridges between the Illinois state line and S.R. 912/Cline Avenue (Exit 5).
- U.S. 31 is reduced to one lane in each direction for road construction between U.S. 30 and 4A Road near Plymouth.
- I-69 lanes are shifted between Union Chapel Road (Exit 317) near Fort Wayne and County Road 11A (Exit 326) near Garrett for a bridge replacement project.
- I-469 near Fort Wayne is reduced to one lane in each direction between State Road 1 (Exit 6) and U.S. 27/33 (Exit 11) for road construction.
- The U.S. 24 ramp entering I-65 northbound at Exit 201 is closed for reconstruction.
Central Indiana
- I-70 is reduced to one lane in each direction between Terre Haute/Riley (Exit 11) and Brazil (Exit 23) for overlay maintenance on two bridge decks.
- Sections of State Road 37 from Bloomington to just south of Martinsville are reduced to one lane in each direction for Interstate 69 construction.
- U.S. 31 is reduced to one lane in each direction with no access to State Road 28 near Tipton for interchange construction.
Southern Indiana
- I-65 is reduced to two lanes in each direction between Eastern Boulevard (Exit 1) and the Kentucky state line for Ohio River Bridge construction.
- I-65 lanes are shifted for two modernization projects between Sellersburg (Exit 9) and State Road 56 (Exit 29) near Scottsburg.
- Sections of I-64 in Perry and Spencer counties are reduced to one lane in each direction for bridge construction between State Road 161 (Exit 54) and State Road 37 (Exit 79).
- Sections of U.S. 41 near Vincennes are reduced to one lane in each direction for bridge construction, including at the U.S. 50 interchange.
- U.S. 41 from Virginia Ave to I-69 in Evansville is reduced to one lane for pavement rehabilitation.
- State Road 237 has a temporary signal controlling two-way traffic at the Ohio River bridge in Cannelton during bridge rehabilitation.
- State Road 154 has a temporary signal controlling two-way traffic at the Wabash River bridge in Hutsonville and is closed between State Road 63 and U.S. 41 for bridge construction.
Know before you go
Learn about traffic and road conditions, crashes and construction on state highways by visiting http://indot.carsprogram.org, calling 1-800-261-ROAD (7623), or dialing 511 from a mobile phone.
Subscribe to receive INDOT news and information by text message or email at http://bit.ly/INDOTsubscription. Find links to INDOT’s regional Facebook and Twitter pages at www.in.gov/indot/3074.htm.
Celebrate responsibly
The Indiana State Police, the Governor’s Council on Impaired & Dangerous Driving and the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute are participating in the national and statewide 2016 Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement mobilization occurring Aug. 12 through Sept. 5. Officers will join more than 250 state and local law enforcement agencies, and thousands more across the country, to conduct high-visibility patrols encouraging drivers against drinking and driving.
Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over is an annual enforcement effort supported by federal funding allocated to Indiana State Police from the Traffic Safety division of ICJI. Officers will work overtime to conduct sobriety patrols and checkpoints around the clock. According to ICJI, in 2015, there were 4,828 alcohol-impaired collisions in Indiana, resulting in 92 fatalities. This is a 26.5 percent decrease in the number of alcohol-impaired collisions, and a 9 percent decrease in resulting fatalities, from 2014.
Indiana law enforcement agencies have been actively involved in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign for over 20 years.
For more information regarding the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement mobilization campaign, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/drivesober.
