CLARKSVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) -- Driving through yards, speeding and ignoring road signs have been problems for some Clarksville neighbors living in the middle of a construction zone. Now, the city plans to handle the reckless driving.

The City of Clarksville said drivers on Lincoln Drive have ignored detour signs to the extent some have driven through electrical polls on Duke Energy's property.

It has also affected quality of life for some neighbors.

"Almost all the houses this way down have some little kids that kind of ride their bikes through here or run," Scott Warner said when he described his block on Lakeview Drive.

Warner is one of several neighbors who called the city when he noticed an uptick in people speeding after construction began to replace an old wastewater pump station. Warner's street is part of the detour off Lincoln Drive.

"The trouble we have is because the cars are coming off the main strip and heading like they normally would, tend to be going the normal speed they tend to be going on Lincoln, which this road isn't necessarily made for that," Warner said about Lakeview.

Clarksville Utility Director Brittany Montgomery said the dangerous driving poses a threat to workers on Lincoln Drive who operate heavy equipment near 40-foot deep trenches.

"It would be very easy to kill someone out here working," Montgomery said. "They're already working in dangerous conditions and them having to watch out for speeding traffic around them just makes it even worse."

In response, more semi-permanent barricades to enforce road closures will go up.

The Clarksville Police Department also plans to increase patrols in the area when workers return to the project next week.

"They'll be stopping those people to figure out what's going on and possibly writing tickets," Montgomery said.

As for an update to the timeline of the project, Clarksville plans on construction to finish in October.

Closures on Lincoln Drive between Adam Street to Lynwood Drive are expected from July 11 through Aug. 31, tentatively. The only access will be for local businesses. People traveling to Lincoln Heights or Lakeview will only be able to enter the area from Lewis and Clark Boulevard. 

Between Sept. 1 and Oct. 1, tentatively, Lincoln Drive will be closed from Lynnwood Drive to Lewis and Clark Boulevard. Access from Lewis and Clark Boulevard will not be allowed for residents who live in Lincoln Heights or Lakeview. The only exception will be for homes directly on the closed stretch of Lincoln Drive. Anyone travelling to Lincoln Heights will access the area from Lynwood Drive. 

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