NITRO, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The road sign is clear on 31st Street, but the message is not hitting home. It reads "No thru traffic, emergency vehicles only."

"Even with the sign up there, it hasn't stopped anyone from using [the road]," said Al Jones, a resident of Nitro.

Rusty Casto, the mayor of Nitro, said the city put the road sign up to eliminate the traffic problem on the street. Casto said the problem started when the 40th Street bridge was closed in June for repairs. He said the traffic slowed emergency response time.

"We've closed it to thru traffic, not to be mean, but so that if we've a fire or someone has a fire or heart attack ... we can get help to them," Casto said.

This is the second time the stretch of 31st Street has been closed in a short amount of time. It was closed for years because of a slip in the road.

"He used taxpayers money to repair the slip," Jones said. "Then he turns right around and puts the cops out here to give taxpayers tickets for using the road."

The mayor plans on addressing the road sign issue at Tuesday's city council meeting. Casto said the sign will come down when the 40th Street bridge reopens on August 25.