Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Editorial 

If 2023 could be summed up in one word for Shelby County it would be growth.

As 2023 ends, it provides an opportunity to look back at all of the major improvements that were made over the course of the year and the progress that will continue to impact residents for years to come.

The county as well as many local municipalities worked diligently over the course of 2023 toward the completion of projects that serve to improve the local infrastructure and the quality of life enjoyed by the citizens of Shelby County.

The city of Alabaster saw extensive repaving done on Alabaster Boulevard that improved the roadway for the local citizens using the roads every day, as well as enhancing thru traffic. Helena saw the repaving of its library parking lot, the Helena Sports Complex and parking areas at multiple city parks. The city of Calera also held a groundbreaking for the Calera Courtyard, which will improve and fundamentally alter the city’s main gathering place for events.

These enhancements are but a small representation of the work Shelby County has undergone over the past year that has improved the standard of living for its residents and better prepared it for the future growth that is assured to come over the next several years.

As the new year begins, there are already a number of projects exiting the planning stages that will only maintain this constant stream of development.

Alabaster will begin work on the construction of a new amphitheater and an expansion to its senior center. Those projects will support the city’s continued mission of building a city center that can be the focus of its local population.

Chelsea too continues to invest in its Foothills Business Park in an effort to increase the daytime population of the city and to provide more jobs for its residents.

The county itself is set to work with municipalities and the state in 2024 in efforts to finally begin an expansion of Interstate 65 that will not only alleviate congested traffic from Calera to Alabaster but will also bring a boost to local businesses.

The county continues to further its mission to bring new green spaces and parks to fruition as well—allowing the economy and housing market to grow whilst also maintaining the environmental aspects of the area that make Shelby County so special.

With all of this growth undoubtedly comes new opportunities as well as a trove of stories to tell. In the coming year, we look forward to providing our readers with a constant influx of information on how this county is building its future.