As roundabout construction begins, sheriff's office warns of fines

RACINE COUNTY The Racine County Sheriffs Office is warning drivers to obey closed construction areas or receive fines.

Construction of the roundabout at highways 20 and 75 began Thursday, closing down the intersection to traffic, but a number of drivers have been ignoring the closed signs and even moving barricades, said Sgt. David Coughlin of the Sheriffs Office.

The Sheriffs Office is putting extra attention out there and violators will be ticketed, he said. The fine for failing to obey a construction zone sign is $213, he said.

The bottom line is that construction workers need to be protected.

Im not going to have a construction worker run over because their GPS is telling them to go that way, Coughlin said of drivers.

Drivers, even local residents, should follow detour signs, he said. The construction is set to go into October.

But staff at the Dover Inn, the landmark restaurant located at the southeast corner of the intersection, are worried about how to get customers to and from the eatery. Proprietor Joe Gruber said he didnt want customers to avoid heading to the inn out of fear of being ticketed.

This is going to scare off a lot of people in my eyes, said Gruber, who was planning on meeting with sheriffs personnel today for clarifications.

He was also worried about golfers who are coming to the restaurant this Saturday from throughout southeast Wisconsin for the Dover Inns annual golf outing and how motorcyclists will get there for several poker runs that have been scheduled.

Gruber was off on Thursday and had not checked on all routes available to get to the inn. But he understands that state Department of Transportations posted detour is the best way: By taking Highway A (Plank Road) to Highway 75 and then heading north to the restaurant. Gruber was unsure as of Thursday if there was a way to get to the restaurant on Highway 75 from the north.

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As roundabout construction begins, sheriff's office warns of fines