MERRILLVILLE | The drive along Taft Street just north of 73rd Avenue became a bit smoother Thursday after the Indiana Department of Transportation completed road resurfacing in the area.

Workers closed a portion of the northbound lane of Taft Street, removed part of the road and resurfaced the area, said INDOT spokesman Joshua Bingham.

He said large potholes started forming during the winter, but crews were only able to mend the road with cold patches prior to Thursday's overhaul.

Bingham said even with the cold patches, the road remained in bad condition and needed a permanent fix.

He said INDOT also plans to repair an area of Broadway between 84th Avenue and U.S. 30 in Merrillville as well as a portion of Main Street between 97th Place and Summit Street in Crown Point in coming weeks.