(WXYZ) — At train crossings in Huron Township, delays can often interfere with first responders answering emergencies, and buses taking kids to and from school. It’s what’s driving an urgent effort to create a solution.
On any given day, it’s a familiar sight that threatens to impact emergency response times when seconds count.
Surveillance cameras set up at multiple locations throughout the area give us a snapshot of what people in this community have often faced for decades. While shooting our story, we saw firsthand drivers left waiting and seeing red.
"Very frustrated. My boss is on my head about getting to the job," said one driver.
According to township data, the average response to a fire or medical emergency is roughly 7 minutes, but Huron Township Police Chief Everette Robbins says camera monitoring simply isn’t enough and a bridge or underpass is needed at multiple locations.
"Even if the most direct route is blocked, they have to take an alternate route, which can again increase response times. Sometimes that can delay 7 to 10 to 15 minutes," said Chief Robbins.
State Rep. Darrin Camilleri says trains often load up nearby and he hears complaints about it on a regular basis. He’s leading an effort to raise funding in this year’s state budget for a permanent fix.
"Republicans and Democrats agree that we need to do something on this issue," said Rep. Camilleri.
The governor has set aside $60 million for statewide road improvements; Camilleri believes at least $25 million should be spent in Wayne County.
"We have historic levels of funding at the state right now for infrastructure that will allow us to solve this problem once and for all," he said.
With hundreds of emergency calls being made weekly, local business owner Craig Blankenship agrees more has to be done before additional lives are placed at risk.
And simply chugging along is no longer acceptable.
"The train can sit here for 2-3 hours sometimes. If there was an emergency, it would be hard to get ... anybody across the train tracks," said Blankenship.
Locations like Pennsylvania & Huron River & Sibley Road and I-275 are considered among the most problematic.
Drivers are now hoping to avoid more time and patience lost, keeping faith that funding won’t get sidetracked in Lansing.
"There’s no other way into town, basically. There’s three exits and half the time they are all blocked,” said one driver.
Rep. Camilleri already secured funding for a similar project in nearby Woodhaven starting this year. The goal is to have funding secured here in the next few months.
