BOCA RATON, Fla. — Commuters in Boca Raton have dealt with repeated traffic delays this month due to a malfunctioning railroad crossing that has disrupted the morning rush hour three times in less than two weeks.
The latest incident occurred Wednesday morning when drivers exiting Interstate 95 onto Palmetto Park Road had to be rerouted after a wire issue on the railroad tracks forced the crossing gates to close.
The closures have affected traffic on both Palmetto Park Road and Camino Real Road.
WATCH BELOW: Commuters frustrated by repeated railroad crossing malfunctions
"The whole thing was closed off. Traffic afterwards was super bad," said Rowan Paulman, a Florida Atlantic University student affected by the closure.
Tri-Rail confirmed this was the third malfunction in less than two weeks that forced the crossing gate to close, leaving drivers to find alternate routes during their morning commute.
"I saw that the gates were down, but I didn't really know anything about what was happening," Paulman said.
Each time there's been a problem — whether a track issue or sensor malfunction — the crossing shuts down immediately as a safety precaution, according to Tri-Rail.
The repeated closures have frustrated local residents who are already dealing with heavy traffic in the area.
"I have things to do, places to go, there is enough traffic in Boca," said Breanna Pappas, a Boca Raton resident affected by the closure.
The Boca Raton Police Department has posted traffic alerts about the closures, with frustrated drivers commenting online that the situation is "absolutely ridiculous."
A Tri-Rail spokesperson said cold weather played a role in the recent problems and that each issue must be fixed before the gates can reopen. The transit agency said it has been able to resolve the issues within a couple of hours each time.
"Super frustrating," Pappas said.
Drivers hope the repeated closures are resolved permanently to prevent future morning commute disruptions.
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