The Jefferson County Commission recently unanimously passed a record $1 billion operating and capital budget for the next fiscal year that runs from this Oct. 1 to Sep. 30, 2024.

Some capital improvement projects included in this budget are a new county animal control facility (estimated $25 million) and a new county coroner’s office (estimated $26.6 million) according to Helen Hays, public information officer for the county.

The county also dedicated upwards of $100 million to road improvement projects in the upcoming fiscal year. One of the most expensive projects aims to extend Lakeshore Parkway to “improve operational efficiency, safety and to upgrade the road” according to the county website.

The project, estimated to cost the county $19 million, is scheduled to begin construction at the end of 2024 and will consist of realigning Morgan Road and Lakeshore Parkway to form a single intersection at Hwy 150 in Bessemer. It will also widen Morgan Road beginning just north of Hopewell near the Carvana facility to Hwy 150 from two lanes to five according to the site.

Other road projects of note include adding lanes to North Chalkville Road in Trussville, Sicard Hollow/Blue Lake interchange improvements (a joint project with Vestavia, Hays said), a US-31 intersection improvement in Columbiana, a replacement of Parkwood Bridge over Shades Creek and a Harmer Street Bridge replacement over Valley Creek, and completing the Bell Hill Road widening project in Bessemer, which is scheduled for completion in Sept. 2024 according to the county website.