January 2025 | Volume 18 | Issue 3
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From Pump House Road, rush hour congestion can be seen lining up on either side of the U.S. 280 from Lakeshore to I-459. Developers plan to add a lane onto either side of the road and are considering expanding the bridge as well. Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
US 280 expansion set to begin; project expected to last 2 years By TAYLOR BRIGHT
2025 brings big changes to 280 corridor By TAYLOR BRIGHT There will be plenty to watch along the U.S. 280 corridor in 2025. Here are five things worth attention in the new year.
NEW MAYOR FOR CHELSEA
Chelsea will be getting a new mayor for the first time in
INSIDE
nine years. Mayor Tony Picklesimer will not be running when the elections come in 2025. “It has been a terrific experience and the good days outweigh the bad,” Picklesimer said. “But, you know, 10 years on the council, and now that will be nine years as mayor.
U.S. 280 congestion may be getting a little worse in the next couple of years — and then, officials hope, a whole lot better. The state is set to begin construction on the widening of 280 as soon as February, the Alabama Department of Transportation said. The project is expected to last two years. The project is designed to add to the capacity for cars traveling along the western end of the highway, which runs through Homewood, Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills. According to data from ALDOT, the busiest point of 280, near Overton Road, has an average of nearly 105,000 vehicles traveling that point daily. By comparison, only the interstates are more traveled in the metro area. I-20/59 by the Tallapoosa St. exit has more than 150,000 vehicles driving on it daily.
See LOOK AHEAD | page 28
Sponsors.............................4 City.......................................6
Schoolhouse.......................8 Business.............................10
See 280 EXPANSION | page 30 Real Estate........................14 Events.................................16
Sports................................20 Community.......................24 facebook.com/280living
All-South Metro
New Leadership
Spain Park’s Brock Bradley takes Player of the Year honors.
New Shelby County Commissioner Josh Sisk begins term.
See page 22
See page 24