SOUTH LYON, Mich. — Drivers in South Lyon are navigating lifting boards and holes at a railroad crossing on Pontiac Trail/Lafayette Street, and local leaders say the condition of that crossing, along with one at 10 Mile/Lake Street, raises serious questions about maintenance.
Both crossings are owned by CSX.
Watch 7 Action News reporter Christina Ford's story in the video below:
Desi Spinelli, who drives over the tracks about five times a week, said the crossing has gotten noticeably worse.
"If you go too fast over it, you do take a pretty big (risk) — it's gotten pretty bad over the last few months too," Spinelli said.
Spinelli said some drivers have started swirving to avoid it.
"You go one way or you kinda like, learn to like, go one way to go around it," Spinelli said.
Mayor Steve Kennedy said the two crossings handle the heaviest traffic volume in the area and were not built to accommodate current demand.
"Those two in particular take the bulk of the traffic on a daily basis and it's far in excess of what those crossings were designed and built for," Kennedy said.
Kennedy said a growing population is placing a heavier toll on the aging wood and asphalt materials at the crossings.
"I mean, the wood isn't secure. It moves as you go across the crossing. The asphalt isn't there to help hold things in place and to dampen the vibrations," Kennedy said.
The city has been in contact with CSX about maintenance or replacing the crossing materials and reached out to State Rep. Jason Morgan, D-Ann Arbor, for assistance. Officials had hoped to coordinate improvements with the Road Commission of Oakland County's Pontiac Trail reconstruction project, but that window is closing.
Morgan said the goal is to move quickly toward a long-term solution.
"Our goal here is to work with local leadership, work with the railroad and make sure that we're getting this crossing repaired as quickly as we can and replaced for the long term so that there's longer lasting stability with it," Morgan said.
Funding remains the central obstacle. Kennedy says he was told it was out of the railroad's budget. The estimated cost to upgrade the material is also out of the city's budget.
"It's always a funding issue but I'm hoping that maybe we can — they can get creative and do something about it," Kennedy said.
CSX told us the crossing is regularly inspected and has been "deemed safe for both railroad operations and public use. As with all crossings on our network, we will continue to monitor conditions and address any maintenance needs as appropriate."
Kennedy said after we looked into this story, he received word that an inspection of the crossing is expected in the coming weeks.
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