SCHERERVILLE | A common shortcut through Schererville will be closed for the rest of the week, as crews replace railroad tracks at a crossing.

A portion of 213th Street, from Villa Cesare west to the entrance of Briar Cove subdivision, is expected to reopen by Friday, said Schererville Public Works Director Jeff Huet.

Motorists who use 213th - also known as Airport Road - as a shortcut are being detoured to Main Street or U.S. 30, Huet said.

"It's a back road, but it's a pretty highly used shortcut that a lot of people know about," he said.

Two sets of tracks sit just feet apart, but only the EJ&E crossing, which is the southern set of tracks, will be rebuilt, he said.

While the road is closed, Dyer and Schererville public works crews will clean the ditches along 213th Street, said Schererville Town Manager Bob Volkmann.

That maintenance normally would take three or four days, but because there will be no interference from traffic, crews can get the work done in a day or two, Huet said.

Schererville public works crews also will use some cold patch to smooth out part of the area around the crossing, he said.

While the street is closed, Dyer is acting as the first responders to Schererville emergency calls in that area, because fire and police personnel will have to go around to Calumet Avenue to reach that part of Schererville, Huet said.