Drivers ask: Why the bumpy bypass?

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. – You asked and we drove. After a post on our ABC 57 Facebook page asked us to look into people going “airborne” on the U.S. 20 Bypass, we hit the road to see what the stretch was like.

The post read, “Can you please put a news crew on the 20 bypass bridges between Mayflower and S.R.23 and video cars and trucks going airborne because the bridge transitions are so rough. Debris laying in the road, on the shoulders. They've been like this for 5 or 6 years plus.”

ABC 57 didn’t catch anyone going airborne, but we did see a lot of drivers bouncing around.

"Thank god I got four wheel drive because it's bumpy in it,” said Richard Esmont.

Esmont drives the path from State Road 23 to Mayflower Road exit every day.

"I think its needed help for a long time,” said Esmont.

A spokesperson for the Indiana Department of Transportation said there aren’t any plans to make improvements on the surface of the road. It said the maintenance department is keeping an eye on the stretch of road and will make repairs as they’re needed.

INDOT said it had no formal complaints about the stretch of road, but if the street needs repairs, crews will do wedging to even out the road.

INDOT said if drivers are going airborne, then speed may be the bigger issue.

But not all drivers agree. “No I think it's just the road surface itself. I think the speed limit is fine,” said Esmont.