KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- Some Adair County residents may have to choose an alternate route from their homes and jobs in the near future.

That's because MoDOT and BNSF Railroad officials say crossings like this are too dangerous and expensive to maintain.  Some of the roads only see one vehicle per day.  Officials say it’s not worth it to pay nearly $200,000 to maintain a crossing for just a few vehicles.

They met with Adair County commissioners Wednesday afternoon to discuss a course of action to begin closing and updating the most dangerous crossings.

“When we have these trains going through there at 90mph and a very dangerous crossing to negotiate even in the best weather, you're likely it could result in deaths,” said Second District Adair County Commissioner Mark Thompson.

According to a MoDOT study an average of 17 vehicles per day use the section of Archer Lane northeast of La Plata.  That’s just one of the proposed closures.  However, it sees the most traffic of all the proposed road closures.

There has never been an accident there but commissioners say it's just a matter of time.  The railroad tracks in northeast Missouri are the busiest in the state traveling up to 90mph at times.

Archer Lane may be included in phase one of the project that includes incentive pay for the county.

“It's going to be an inconvenience for some of the landowners, the farmers down there especially if they have land on both sides of the railroad track because they will have to circumnavigate that closure,” said Thompson.

They're also looking into updating the lights and gates at intersections near Brashear, Gibbs, and La Plata.  They will do the project in two phases and could start as early as next spring.

“As with any government project it takes lots of time and the paper work process is starting already.  So there may be some work initially on the crossings that involve with the lighting and once those are finished then we would address the closing at Archer Lane,” said Thompson.

Other county roads that may be affected: Clemson, Cranberry, Archer, Lantern, Banner, and Titan.  The railroad crossings at Archer, Cranberry and Clemson may be closed along with a one-lane bridge on Titan.