The Porter Metropolitan Police Commission agreed Tuesday to ask state highway officials to do a traffic study of the U.S. 20 intersection at Wagner Road, which many believe to be dangerous.

The commission also recommended that the Town Council make the same request of the Indiana Department of Transportation.

Ten-year-old Trey Bonnema last month asked the Police Commission to help lobby for a stop light at U.S. 20 and Wagner Road and presented 271 signatures on petitions in support. Tuesday he presented 60 more signatures and said additional petitions still are being circulated.

Police chief James Spanier said the Police Department sees both pros and cons about installing a stop light; currently Wagner Road traffic has an overhead flashing red light and traffic on U.S. 20 has a yellow light. Spanier added that since he’s not a professional at traffic analysis, the commission could defer to INDOT although their past traffic studies at U.S. 20 and Waverly Road did not appear to take everything into account.

It was recollected that U.S. 20 and Wagner Road did have a stop light at one time years ago, likely prior to the opening of Interstate 94, but the number of accidents there prompted the light to be removed.

Town Council liaison Jon Granat said safety improvements short of a stop light like prominent warning signs with roadside flashers may be the answer. Spanier said the town is putting up new oversize speed limit signs along U.S. 20, which also may help.

In other business, the chief said activity statistics show July was typical for summer. “We’re real, real busy. Total calls is up quite a bit.” In all 581 calls were logged resulting in six felony and 21 misdemeanor arrests. Traffic stops numbered 74 resulting in 38 citations, 37 written warnings and 27 verbal warnings. Arrests included two each driving while suspended/prior and operating while intoxicated as well as one each leaving the scene and OWI/refusal.

Other calls were 11 thefts; five warrant service; four criminal mischief; three fraud; two each intimidation, minor consumption, property damage, public intoxication and trespass; and one each possession of a controlled substance, battery, battery to a police officer, burglary, false reporting of a crime, harassment, strangulation, theft from vehicle and vandalism.

There were 14 animal calls, and seven residential and three business alarms. Porter Police assisted at seven lockouts, one lost license plate and did six VIN checks. Assists to other departments numbered 105 and to other jurisdictions, three. Thirty-nine assists were made to citizens. Other reports dealt with three civil matters; two each commitment, found property, off-duty assist and runaway; and one each death investigation, disturbance, general information, suspicious circumstance, town incident and welfare check. Other calls totaled 157.

Of 70 calls to emergency 911, 13 were misdials. Member Bill Donley was absent Tuesday.

Posted 8/20/2009