For decades, the short piece of road on U.S. 276 South going over Waynesville Mountain has been rough on the eyes and the cars traveling over it.

“It’s always been a problem,” said James Mathus, who lives on Pigeon Gap Road just off that portion of U.S. 276 South and owns the trailer park right below the problem area. “There is a major problem. It’s been an ongoing thing for years. It isn’t something that just happened.”

The trouble stems from the material the road is built upon, which has been slowly sinking and settling over the years causing the asphalt to dip and crack. Until now, the solution has always been to pour more asphalt over the area to create a smooth roadway again, but the problem has gotten to the point where something else needs to be done.

“My understanding is it’s been ...