The closure of the bridge over Canadaway Creek along Route 5 came with a detour to funnel heavy truck traffic to Route 20. Local traffic is urged to utilize streets away from the area of the bridge while it is fully replaced.

Apparently, that simple concept is too difficult for many drivers to comprehend. Residents of the town of Dunkirk have become frustrated as drivers – especially semi trucks – often find themselves stuck.

“I don’t know how someone can travel down Route 5 and read 11 signs and not get that they shouldn’t be ending up in (a resident’s) driveway to turn around. I just don’t get it,” Dunkirk Supervisor Shari Miller said at the Town Board meeting Tuesday night, just a few days after the bridge was closed.

During the meeting, a large crashing sound could be heard from the Town Hall on Willow Road. Just minutes after Miller spoke about the matter, one driver struck the Willow Road tunnel with sizable equipment being carried by a trailer. The equipment was significantly damaged and the top of the tunnel was scraped.

OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen Detour signs are located all along Routes 5 and 20, as well as in several other locations around the county to direct traffic away from the Canadaway Creek bridge.

The tunnel has a clearance of just over 10 feet, which drivers often ignore and find themselves stuck. With Willow Road as an alternative to reach Route 5 from Brigham Road in the city, and Temple Road and Chestnut Road coming from Fredonia, the area has become even more crowded in recent days. That leaves the door open for even more driver error, like Tuesday’s mishap. In the days since the closure, several semi trucks have been observed backing out of areas they cannot drive through.

“I don’t know how many more signs they can put out there,” Miller said. “It’s amazing to me.”

The reopening of the Canadaway Creek bridge on Route 5 can’t come soon enough. Miller said she has been told by a State Department of Transportation (DOT) representative that the project is aiming to be done by Labor Day. Initially, the DOT said the project will conclude by the end of 2026.

Also at the recent meeting, the Town Board fielded comments from three residents. John Ramos discussed a property he maintains in the town with the hopes of future development. Jay Warren raised fire hydrant concerns and fire protection. Sue Hazelton, holding a speech written on her special green paper, spoke out against shared services with the City of Dunkirk and the Village of Fredonia because of the state of their finances compared to the Town of Dunkirk. Hazelton said, “Why would the town of Dunkirk want to be dragged into such failures?”

Miller highlighted that the East Town of Dunkirk Fire Department responded to 40 calls in the month of April. She also noted that the Town Board has passed along its Battery Energy Storage System local law to Attorney Jeff Passafaro for review. The law can be enacted once a public hearing is held on the matter, which will likely be held in the coming months.

OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen Pictured is the Willow Road tunnel, which is being utilized much more due to the Route 5 detour. Several drivers have run into problems in the past few days because of the height of the tunnel.

The Town also plans to form a committee to further discuss the state of its Town Hall. The Town has previously considered sharing a facility with another municipality, as well as moving to the West Town of Dunkirk Fire Hall, along with renovations to the current Town Hall and Court. The current facility is in need of a new roof, a new furnace, and reconfigured office spaces. More discussion on the matter will be held in the coming months.

The next Town Board meeting was moved to Tuesday, June 9 at 5:30 p.m. A workshop will be held on Friday, May 29 at 3 p.m. with no action to be taken.