By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

CALERA – Construction crews soon will begin work on the Shelby County 22-Shelby County 12 intersection in Calera to straighten the intersection and add a traffic signal, after the Shelby County Commission voted during a May 13 meeting to approve a bid for the project.

Commissioners voted unanimously during the meeting to award a $933,117 bid to the Chilton Contractors company to complete the project, which is being funded jointly by Shelby County and Calera.

Currently, a high volume of traffic queues where Shelby County 12 intersects Shelby County 22 near the Shelby County Airport exit, as many vehicles are forced to turn right onto Shelby County 22 and then make an immediate left turn onto Spring Creek Road.

The project will realign Spring Creek Road with Shelby County 12 and place a traffic signal at the new intersection, allowing traffic to travel straight from Shelby County 12 onto Spring Creek Road.

Last month, the Commission approved a land swap with a private property owner to allow the realignment to proceed.

“We needed really badly to realign that intersection and signalize it. It’s going to improve safety and traffic flow, which in that area is really bad,” Shelby County Engineer Randy Cole said. “We anticipate (crews beginning work) very soon. (Chilton Contractors) gave us an excellent price. They’ve done a number of projects for us, and they do good work.”