SAVANNAH (WSAV) - Drivers were delayed by 52 minutes Thursday morning at the train crossing on President Street in Savannah. It backed up traffic all the way to the Truman Parkway. This is a busy area, and the delay impacts drivers all across Chatham County. According to WATCO, who is over the rail operation, the delay was caused by mechanical issues, but city leaders said that this is unacceptable. "I'm tired of the trains. 52 minutes. 52 Minutes is too long for our community to be impacted," Mayor Van Johnson said. "There is a need for commerce. There's also a need for being good neighbors, and I can't tell you how much and often I get a call. I'm caught by a train." Long train crossing wait times is a problem that several local groups and organizations are looking to solve. Chatham County has partnered with the city and the Coastal Region Metropolitan Planning Organization to conduct a study to look at what options they have to improve wait times in this area. While the City of Savannah has no authority over the railroads, City Manager Jay Melder released a statement calling the long wait time unacceptable. PHOTOS: Jesup paper mill catches fire "It's not only an inconvenience and a frustration for drivers, but it causes some significant traffic safety issues as vehicles kind of back up and stack up on the Truman and on President Street and on other major roadways," Melder said. Johnson said, "If you have an ambulance or a police car that needs to get to where they're going... To me, this is just totally unacceptable." WSAV asked Savannah Police how these delays impact their response. A spokesperson with the police department said that if a police officer can't reach an area, they would have to find an alternate route or send a unit from another precinct. This could result in longer response times. "Fortunately, we have not been impacted where someone has lost their life. But it's just a matter of time," Johnson said. Long term solutions could take years, but the city wants the community to know they are aware and working on improvements. WATCO also issued the following statement regarding Thursday's incident: "We apologize for the inconvenience caused and assure the community that this is not a common occurrence. Our onsite team resolved the issue as swiftly as possible. We are committed to adjusting our operational schedules to better serve the community and to being a responsible partner."