A tiny crack is causing big concern on Signal Mountain.
It showed up at the same spot where the road washed out in December of 2009.
It has residents asking for a permanent fix to the troubled road.
TDOT says the road is safe and any upgrades would cost millions of dollars.
December of 2009, a huge section of signal mountain boulevard washes away.
Patrick Todaro still has the video on his cell phone
Patrick Todaro, Signal Mountain Resident, "They got lucky. There were no cars there. What about next time?"
Now, in the same spot, a much smaller crack causes concern.
Jennifer Flynn, TDOT, "It's a very narrow, long crack that kind of goes along one edge of the roadway."
A resident noticed it and told Signal Mountain town leaders who called TDOT.
Jennifer Flynn tells us it's been there for a while and maintenance crews have been keeping a close eye on it.
Jennifer Flynn, "We consider it to be safe and we're just watching it to see if any of it settles or anything like that and then should that happen we'll call in our geotechnical engineers."
This latest concern on the main road up Signal Mountain has residents calling for a long-term solution.
David Pruett, Signal Mountain Resident, "They just need to get it fixed. It's just a seems like it's always been a problem I know the state will say it's one of the worst roads, very dangerous road."
Besides safety there are traffic concerns.
Janet Wixson, Signal Mountain Resident, "Maybe they need to blow up part of the mountain to make way for a road but two lanes up and down that road isn't enough. They need to widen the road in general. There's just too much traffic up and down that road."
Flynn points to a recent study that offers different possibilities for the highway...from a brand new road...to spot improvements... to another route.
They're all multi million dollar ventures that could close the road for years.
For now a proactive move.
Flynn, "Our crews are going to go put some crack sealant on the crack and that will prevent moisture from getting down in it."
Back in the 1990s TDOT presented a plan to improve Signal Mountain Boulevard, but Flynn tells us it was not well received.
