RIPLEY, N.Y. (WKBW) — Last week, residents on Klondike Road in Ripley were notified that the dead-end roadway would be closed for days for maintenance. Today, the road remains open, but concerns aren't going away.
However, days following our initial reporting, residents were then notified that the closure was not happening.
According to an email from the Federal Railroad Administration provided to WKBW, the 'mix-up' was the result of subcontractors and neighboring construction.
"That was not only incorrect, but the wrong railroad was cited," the email read. "Klondike Road is not being closed for repairs during the next week; it is Cemetery Road, and it is CSX that is doing it, and the residents should have been notified and do have a way out from that roadway."
Despite the road being open as of Monday morning, residents say the news came too little too late.
WATCH: 'An endless cycle': Klondike Road residents say railroad access issues remain
"I wasn't expecting it to be open on the 29th, so I turned down an Uber job that I had because I didn't think I could get across, so I turned that down; I lost that money," Stephen Mooney told WKBW. Much to my surprise, I went down there about 11 o'clock, and it was wide open, no signs, nothing."
"I was pretty shocked that they just put us through all this for nothing," Bobby White said. "My son rented an Airbnb in order to keep his job. I'm sure there's other people on my road with various different stories of things they had to do to be able to get to work on Monday, or whatever time they work."
"Think about not being able to go in and check our house if we wanted to; it's just been horrible," White said.
Since 2023, residents of Klondike Road have been speaking with WKBW regarding difficulties with the railroad. Previous concerns have stemmed from trains parking on the tracks and blocking the road for extended periods of time.
"Trouble is when you finally do get somebody to listen, then an election comes along, and they get kicked out, and then somebody else goes in there, and they know nothing about it, and it's just an endless cycle," Mooney said.
White echoed the sentiment.
"I've reached out to the town, I've reached out to emergency services, I've reached out to everybody that I can reach out to, and nothing, it falls on deaf ears," White said.
WATCH: ‘An endless cycle’: Klondike Road residents say railroad access issues remain
WKBW reached out to Ripley Town Supervisor Lauree Pless for comment, but has not received a response at this time. WKBW also reached out to CSX and is awaiting a response.
While Chautauqua County does not oversee the railroads in this regard, County Executive PJ Wendel has been involved in the matter over the years.
"Our concern is when is it going to cost somebody their home or somebody their life, and then they’re gonna realize it’s their problem," Wendel told WKBW in 2023.
Reaching out to Wendel's office on Tuesday, WKBW was provided with the following statement:
“Residents on Klondike Road should never be placed in a position where they are effectively cut off from their homes due to railroad maintenance operations. I am very concerned about this situation and share the frustration of those who have lived with repeated access disruptions for far too long.
We have voiced our displeasure directly to CSX and other responsible parties in the past, and we will continue to do so. This is not a new issue, and despite ongoing discussions at the local, state, and federal levels, we continue to see impacts on residents that are unacceptable.
Our office has worked alongside local residents, county partners, and federal representatives to push for a long-term solution. While temporary workarounds have been discussed over the years, it is increasingly clear that a permanent access solution must be part of the answer. In my view, the most feasible and responsible path forward is the development of a dedicated access road to ensure residents are never placed in this situation again.
We will continue to press CSX and all relevant stakeholders to prioritize safety, access, and basic quality of life for the people who call Klondike Road home.”
