Drivers are supposed to know the basic rules of the road and recognize posted signs. Some are ignoring the detour signs, orange roadblocks and construction workers along Harrison Street.

Harrison Street between 60th and 72nd is visibly under construction and is closed at just about every end. That makes getting to a soccer field in La Vista a bit of a challenge.

"It's just a long trip,” says Katie Laughhunn of Omaha. “I travel down there every day to work for soccer, for T-ball, everything, so it's kind of a hassle to go around. It takes me extra time every day, but in the end it will be worth it."

The project is an upgrade for Harrison, adding a third lane so drivers can turn without holding up traffic. There are warning signs at just about every intersection, telling drivers, not this way, the road is closed.

Near 72nd and Harrison, roadblock barricades seem to be doing the job, stopping traffic from flowing eastbound, but westbound it's a totally different story.

“What the violators are telling us is that they were following these trucks or they were just simply following other vehicles thinking that it was okay to come through,” says La Vista Police Sgt. Bryan Waugh.

Once they got to 66th and Harrison, police were waiting. "It's our concern that not only are the violators, obviously violating a road closed sign, but it's up for their protection and it's up for the protection of the construction workers and also at a minimum they could result in damage to their own vehicle."

The damage could be caused by rolling over any debris that lies in the road. To keep everyone safe, police are hoping their up close and personal warnings will get the message out.

"We've had officers go from verbal warnings, written warnings, all the way up to traffic citations," says Sgt. Waugh. A ticket could cost up to $70. Police say it's not as if drivers were never warned.

The construction project is being completed in phases. The area between Harrison from 72nd to 60th will remain closed until sometime in November. The second phase of construction, scheduled to begin in the spring of 2009, will close off Harrison Street from 48th to 58th.