Starke County Officials Finalize Truck Routes

Knox Truck OrdinanceTrucks heading to and from the Knox Industrial Park will have to use State Road 8 for access from all directions. Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Charlie Weaver met recently with Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler to discuss truck routes. Ritzler says neither County Road 300 East south of Culver Road nor County Road 200 South, which connects to U.S. 35 near Kem-Co, are rated for excessive truck traffic.

Weaver is working with a strategic planner to include truck routes to both the Knox and North Judson industrial parks in GPS mapping systems used by over-the-road drivers. He says completing the updates will take some time, as information has to be submitted to each GPS company. The devices used by truckers require information about gross vehicle weight, the number of axles, height and other parameters specific to the trucking industry.

Weaver says Starke County is striving to be business friendly while also protecting its assets. The truck route adopted last year by the North Judson Town Council will also be submitted to the GPS companies. It takes trucks from State Road 10 to Luken Street and around to American Oak and the North Judson Industrial Park. He shared both routes with the Starke County Commissioners Monday evening for informational purposes.