It's a familiar sign for people in Arroyo Grande living near Cecchetti Road — "Road Closed."
Pieter Williams used to take this road to San Luis Obispo, but he hasn't been able to for more than a year.
His biggest concern with the closure is emergency vehicles getting to his home.
“I'm old. There are even older people around here, and we're all worried that an ambulance can get here in an emergency," Williams said.
San Luis Obispo County District 4 Supervisor Jimmy Paulding organized a meeting on Tuesday after receiving multiple emails and concerns from residents like Nea Wilson.
Last November, SLO County Public Works said it was waiting for funding and environmental permits from FEMA, which could delay repairs for years.
“The fact that we are not being communicated with," Wilson said. "We're told the road is closed because we watch the news or hear it through the newspaper.“
Wilson attended Tuesday’s meeting and worries about the detours she now has to take and emergency response times.
“Five minutes? That could be somebody’s life," Wilson said.
Paulding acknowledges the lengthy process of securing environmental permits and state grants but after hearing many residents' concerns, he says he now has a plan.
“You're saying we're not going to get through this process and be able to support this project until, you know, 2026? It's time for me to take this to my board and see if we can find another funding source to fund the $400,000 and so we can install the temporary bridge,” he said.
Paulding says he will bring the topic to the Board of Supervisors at their next meeting with the hope they will decide to seek another source of funding for a temporary project while the main project awaits approval.
