News 12 at eleven o'clock -- Thursday, September 2, 2010

BATH, S.C. --- In Aiken County, a small stretch of road is stirring up a big fuss. Neighbors are upset over the closing of a railroad crossing between Front and Railroad Street near Highway 421 in Bath.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation closed the railroad crossing with plans to divert traffic to one of the nearby crossings on either side. The crossing was deemed unsafe by the DOT, and closed with the plan that another crossing be outfitted with crossing arms and flashing lights.

But neighbors say the crossing was perfectly safe, and now they just want their street back.

“I was driving my golf card Monday morning and I saw them putting up a barricade,” says Billy Kight, who lives near the tracks.

He has lived in the area for more than 60 years and drives over the crossing several times a day.

That's why he can't believe his eyes when he sees his road closed.

“People in this village are the ones to suffer,” he says. “It’s been this way for many a year and all of a sudden they have to block it off. It's not right to the people.”

Kight is talking about a DOT decision to close the railroad crossing. The plan was set in motion two years ago and approved Aiken County and the school superintendent.

The problem: neighbors say nobody asked them. Even a state lawmaker claims to be left in the dark.

“I happened to be riding in the area looking at other road problems and drove up on this being constructed,” says State Representative Roland Smith.

After making a few phone calls, he was surprised to find out what was happening.

“My first response was: I cannot believe that you would not notify me, as state representative of this area, that you were thinking about doing something like this,” he remembers.

Neighbors say using the other railroad crossings would mean more accidents as drivers access Highway 421 and changes for school bus routes.

“They’re wasting diesel fuel to run these buses in circles because of a decision made by people who do not know what they're talking about,” Rep. Smith says.

Officials say the blocked crossing gets less use than the other one. Neighbors disagree.

“I think it’s a decision made, but the people that should have been involved in it were not,” Kight says.

For now, the barriers are temporary. Neighbors will meet with DOT and county representatives Friday night to share their concerns. Both the Aiken County Administrator and Aiken County Superintendent have requested the DOT consider neighbors’ concerns before permanently blocking the crossing.

The meeting will take place Friday evening at the Bath Fire Department at 6:30pm.