MILLBURY — The blocked crossing situation in Lake Township is better and patience is needed as the problem is solved, according to the police chief.

Mark Hummer, who is also the township administrator, said a diplomatic approach must be taken with Norfolk Southern. The railroad continues to block crossings in the township, but is trying to come up with solutions, Hummer said at Tuesday’s trustees meeting.

“At this point we’re still asking for their cooperation. They don’t have to do anything,” Hummer said. “I know there’s going to be problems and I know there’s going to be delays, but right now we’re at least working together with the local people.

“If we call them every hour that it’s blocked, they’re going to stop taking our calls.”

Township resident Marvin Burns, who lives west of the Walbridge Road crossing, said he has noticed improvement.

“Trains generally have been better until last week,” said Burns, who has kept a log of blocked crossings in the township for the last year.

On Sunday, which was Easter, the crossing was blocked for almost 15 hours, he said. He said he called the 800 number for Norfolk Southern and was told there was no crew for the train and no plans to run it.

“So why was it not broken initially?” Burns said, adding that he then texted a Norfolk Southern administrator.

“We … shouldn’t have to be doing that,” he said, adding that he is concerned about fire and police vehicles being able to cross the tracks. “Emergencies don’t take a holiday.”

Burns said that the Walbridge Road crossing was blocked for 28.8 hours last week.

Township officials, Burns, U.S. Rep. Bob Latta, R-Bowling Green, and Ohio Sen. Theresa Gavarone, R-Huron, met with Norfolk Southern representatives on March 21.

Norfolk Southern came up with three solutions:

If a train was going to be stopped, blocking a crossing for more than an hour, they would try to cut it.

The railroad will install a phone or sensor at the Walbridge Road crossing. An alert system would come into the police and fire departments when the crossing was blocked, letting emergency responders know that they need to take another route.

The third solution is to install another sensor that would trip a flashing blue light, alerting drivers that the crossing was blocked.

Burns said that since the meeting, Walbridge Road has been blocked 43 times, with 77% of these times exceeding one hour.

Last month, Walbridge Road was blocked for 83 hours straight.

Through the Ohio Department of Transportation website’s blocked crossing tab, Burns’ research showed that three crossings in Lake Township — Walbridge, Lemoyne and Pemberville roads — make up 25% of all Ohio railroad blockages.

The Walbridge Road crossing is No. 1 in the country for being blocked. Lemoyne Road is No. 3 in the country.

Ohio is No. 2 in the nation for blocked crossings.