Courtesy of nwi.com
Written by Dan Carden
Three Northwest Indiana vehicle emissions testing sites are reopening Tuesday, with the remainder expected to resume operations in the weeks ahead.
The Clean Air Car Check stations in Griffith, Crown Point and Valparaiso will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays to test vehicle emissions and provide partial Bureau of Motor Vehicles license branch services.
To minimize the potential spread of the coronavirus, motorists are asked to remain in their vehicles with their windows up until instructed otherwise, and to avoid bringing passengers or pets to the facility.
Staff at each site will be following guidelines aimed at minimizing personal contact and maintaining social distancing. They’ll also undergo regular temperature checks, wear masks, and routinely wash and sanitize their hands.
Motorists required to pass an emissions test to renew their vehicle registration do not need to rush to the testing facilities.
Gov. Eric Holcomb previously set May 22 as the new expiration date for all driver’s licenses, state identification cards and vehicle registrations that expired on or after the public health emergency began March 6, and couldn’t be renewed online.
Separately, the Hammond Clean Air Car Check station will be used from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday as a COVID-19 testing site for Lake County residents, in conjunction with the Lake County Health Department and Methodist Hospitals.
A doctor’s order is not required for the free test, but patients should be symptomatic for the coronavirus. Symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, headache, muscle pain, chills, and loss of smell or taste.
Appointments are not necessary and registration will be completed on-site. Patients should bring their health insurance card if they have one.
