U.S. 30 West - Starke & LaPorte Counties

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U.S. 30 West
U.S. 30 enters Grovertown. The first major junction with U.S. 30 in Starke County is with SR 23. SR 23 goes for 51 miles from SR 10 in southeastern Starke County through Walkerton, North Liberty and South Bend before crossing into Michigan near Granger. 03/24/11
The towns of Koontz Lake and Walkerton are located to the north along SR 23. 03/24/11
A flasher light marks the junction with U.S. 30 and SR 23. 03/24/11
West of the junction with SR 23, Valparaiso is 30 miles away. Making its first appearance as a control city, Joliet, Illinois is 83 miles away on U.S. 30. 03/24/11
A flasher light also marks the intersection with County Road 750 East, which serves the Oregon-Davis Schools to the north. 03/24/11
The utility lines continue straight along the Old U.S. 30 into the town of Hamlet while the U.S. 30 expressway bypasses the town to the north. 03/24/11
Now at the intersection with Starke Street and County Road 600 East. Starke Road heads south into the town of Hamlet. 03/24/11
West of Hamlet, U.S. 30 is now one mile away from the diamond interchange with U.S. 35. U.S. 35 runs for 210 miles across Indiana from Michigan City to the north through LaPorte, Logansport, Kokomo, Gas City, Muncie and Richmond before heading east into Ohio. 03/24/11
A non-button copy sign announces the half mile approach to the U.S. 35 interchange. Nationally, the highway goes for 412 miles from its northern terminus at U.S. 20 in Michigan City to the southeast toward Interstate 64 in West Virginia. 03/24/11
U.S. 30 westbound at the off-ramp to U.S. 35. The LaPorte County seat of LaPorte is about 20 miles to the north while the Starke County seat of Knox is seven miles to the south. 03/24/11
A reassurance shield for U.S. 30 greets travelers west of the U.S. 35 interchange. 03/24/11
U.S. 30 crosses the Kankakee River and enters LaPorte County (population 111,467). Until 1842, the southern part of LaPorte County (which U.S. 30 traverses) was a part of Starke County, but the isolation caused by having to cross the Kankakee River made it more practical to connect the isolated part with LaPorte County, making LaPorte County the third largest county in the state. 03/24/11
After crossing into LaPorte County, U.S. 30 next meets the intersection with SR 39. SR 39 runs for nearly 180 miles from SR 37 at Martinsville north past Danville, Lebanon, Frankfort, Delphi, Monticello and LaPorte before ending at M-239 near Interstate 94 inside the Michigan state line. 03/24/11
The LaPorte County seat of the same name is 13.5 miles to the north along SR 39, while North Judson is nine miles to the south back in Starke County. 03/24/11
Now at the stoplight intersection with U.S. 30 and SR 39. 03/24/11
West of SR 39, the next community along U.S. 30 is Wanatah (nine miles away). Beyond that is the Porter County seat of Valparaiso (16 miles away). 03/24/11
U.S. 30 turns northward to bypass Hanna as Old US 30 again splits with the four lane highway for the town center. 03/24/11
Thompson Street provides the main access point into Hanna from U.S. 30 along the north side of town. The road ties into County Road 1300 South beyond US 30. 03/24/11
Leaving Hanna, U.S. 30 continues a few miles to Wanatah and the intersection with U.S. 421. 03/24/11
U.S. 30 comes up to the intersection with County Road 600 West, which heads south to the settlement of Thomaston and north to South Central High School. 03/24/11
U.S. 30 enters its first town since Plymouth at Wanatah (population 1,048). 03/24/11
U.S. 421 travels for 232 miles across Indiana from Michigan City to the north, through Reynolds, Monticello, Frankfort, Indianapolis, Shelbyville, Greensburg, Versailles and Madison. Nationally, the highway goes for 941 miles from Michigan City to Wilmington, North Carolina. 03/24/11
U.S. 421's northern terminus at Michigan City is just over 15 miles to the north. LaCrosse is eight miles to the south and Valparaiso is eight miles to the west. 03/24/11
U.S. 30 bisects Wanatah to the north of the town center. This view looks westward at Main Street.
Wanatah marks the beginning of the Northwest Indiana suburbs of Chicago for U.S. 30 travelers. 03/24/11
A pair of curves take U.S. 30 from County Road 1200 South to the intersection of County Road 700 East beyond Wanatah. 03/24/11
Less than two miles west of Wanatah, U.S. 30 enters Porter County (population 164,434). An older guide sign directs travelers to Valparaiso University further west on U.S. 30. 03/24/11


 


Photo Credits:

03/24/11 by Thomas Decker

Page Updated 05-02-2013.

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