Closure signs on flood-impacted North Plainfield, N.J. street not stopping some drivers. Here's why the public is concerned.
CBS News New York sent reporter Christine Sloan to see what's being done to keep residents and businesses safe.
Video shows raging waters taking over a section of Somerset Street in North Plainfield during last weeks floods. Parts of the road are seen buckling and collapsing. Cement barricades are now around the damaged part of the roadway.
However, despite "Road Closure" and "Local Business Only" signs, trucks and cars were going through Tuesday morning and early afternoon.
"It's abandoned here. There's no police. There's nobody here," Paula Solias said.
North Plainfield resident Stacy Barnard tipped off CBS News New York on the problem.
"Three days after the storm hit us three 18 wheelers come through here. [I'm] worried about that collapsing more," Barnard said.
Residents say it's not just the stability of the road they're concerned about, pointing to the fact that drivers are bypassing the road closure signs and driving in both directions on one lane.
"I just saw a tractor trailer coming through this area and I felt it was going to really hit this van that's right here," business owner Amy Silberman said.
Police arrived to enforce the road closure after CBS News New York called North Plainfield's mayor.
"If it wasn't for you, this cop right here that got that guy wouldn't be here," Barnard said. "You guys were right here. You know what? From the bottom of my heart I thank you, guys, man, because finally something's being done."
Silberman wants answers on the integrity of the county road. Her husband's medical office was destroyed by flood waters and she doesn't want more issues.
"Everyone inside the building was trapped. My husband, his office manager, his patients were trapped, and they had to be evacuated through a window," she said.
CBS News New York reached out to the Somerset County Road Department about the roadway, itself, but did not immediately hear back.
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