LONG BRANCH — A family trying to get around a closed Jersey Shore railroad crossing narrowly escaped getting hit by a train on Thursday night.

NJ Transit spokesman Jim Smith said the family's car went around a sign at the closed Brighton Avenue crossing on New Jersey Transit's North Jersey Coast Line. The family thought they were driving into a parking lot.

They had actually driven onto the tracks, and became stuck, according to the report.

Police were called and were able to notify the engineer of an approaching train, who slowed down but still hit the car.

The line was closed for cleanup and investigation but was reopened and operating normally for the Friday morning commute.

Long Branch Police posted on their Facebook page that Brighton Avenue was closed on Thursday to build a new concrete crossing. Detours were set up at least a block away from the crossing.

Smith said drivers should always heed traffic indicators, detours and road closures "esepcially when it comes to railroad closures."

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com.

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