PORT ALLEN - A railroad crossing on the west side could be the source of a number of vehicle issues. The crossing is bumpy and broken in some areas, forcing drivers to nearly stop when they cross over.

Large trucks and small cars drive over the Port Allen crossing on Plantation Ave near Lydia Street daily. Plenty of 18-wheelers use the path, which is right near and entrance an exit to Highway 190.

Tommy Zito, who lives in the area, has been complaining about the condition of the crossing's surfacing for months. He tells 2 On Your Side it's about time something's done.

"From a safety standpoint, the railroad really should address this," Zito said.

For the last year, Zito says the timber crossing area that surrounds the railroad tracks has been deteriorating and exposing spikes. Large sections of timber are missing from the crossing and Zito seems to think it's because of the heavy truck traffic this area experiences on a daily basis.

"It tears up the timbers and exposes the spikes," he said.

Zito says he's been contacting Kansas City Southern Railway Company for years about the issues with the crossing and surrounding area. The company has repaired the problems in the past and it appears more repairs are coming down the line. KCS says it's aware of the rough crossing at Highway 415 at Lobdell and had material ordered to correct the situation. That material has been received and the repair will be made this week.

Crossing surfaces vary from asphalt, timber or premanufactured materials including rubber, concrete, timber, or a combination. Zito is worried the materials will be of the same timber that warps and breaks

"Keep fixing it, fixing it, keep tearing it up, keep tearing it up, it's a Band-Aid approach," he said.

No word on what material will be used to make repairs to the damaged crossing, but Zito hopes he doesn't have to make calls a year from now about the same issues.