The work already under way to resurface U.S. 127 as it comes up Signal Mountain will not be done until Aug. 1.
"Much like a homeowner routinely performs maintenance on their house, performing preservation treatments on properly selected roadways at the appropriate time can help protect the initial investment placed upon the roadway system," said Tennessee Department of Transportation community relations officer Jennifer Flynn.
It has been 15 years since the road was last resurfaced, she said.
The ongoing road work stretches from log mile 14.03 to log mile 18.87 and will be done between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday. The contractor, Talley Construction, is working from the top, down.
"The contractor will have one lane closed in order to begin milling and paving operations," Flynn said. "Where possible, one lane of traffic will be maintained in each direction. However, there are portions of the project that will require traffic to be reduced to a single lane controlled by flaggers. Traffic delays are expected."
She suggested that motorists use alternate routes for the duration of the project.
While Flynn acknowledged there are areas of the roadway that are prone to rock slides and settlement, she said the road is structurally sound. TDOT continually monitors the road for problems or changes, she added.
An in-depth study to determine the necessity of a more extensive road repair project will begin soon. Should the results drive forward such a project, this summer's traffic headaches will look mild in comparison.
"A project to totally reconstruct the existing road would likely require a total closure of the road for a couple of years and cost many millions of dollars," Flynn said.