Turning Points: ‘Back to what we’re used to doing’ is 2021 goal, mayor says

Let there be lights.

The year 2021 is likely to be dominated by infrastructure and traffic improvements across the downtown Trussville area, according to Mayor Buddy Choat.

A road widening project, which will allow a turn lane to be added on Main Street from the intersection of Chalkville Road all the way to Parkway Drive, is “definitely going to happen” in 2021, Choat said. Essentially, a current lane will become the turn lane and the city will acquire right-of-way to add a right lane to make up for the turn lane addition. Choat said he is hopeful the project is complete by the end of 2021.

The bigger projects Choat foresees in 2021 are loop road connections on the north side of the downtown area. Choat said the project includes a new intersection at North Chalkville Road and Talley Street, and North Chalkville Road and the area beside Marshall Family Dentistry. The intersection will include turn lanes and traffic signals, Choat said.

The first loop road connection to be constructed will begin at Talley Street and pass in front of where the Trussville Church of Christ building once was and behind Trussville First United Methodist Church. It will connect with Glenn Avenue, which ends at the intersection with Main Street by Marco’s Pizza, where there will be a traffic signal. During some of the downtown demolition along North Chalkville Road in the last year, traffic was routed this way.

“I think people kind of saw what that does,” Choat said. “It does alleviate that crowd and that traffic backing up right there on Main Street. It worked out better than we thought.”

The second loop road connection to be constructed will involve creating a road beside and around Trussville Pediatric Dentistry that connects with Vann Circle and ends at the intersection with Main Street by Edgar’s Bakery, where, Choat said, the Alabama Department of Transportation has indicated another traffic signal may be constructed. A dedicated turn lane on North Chalkville Road will provide access to that loop road.

Choat said he hopes the project goes out for bid in the spring and that construction begins in the late spring or early summer. The project will likely take 18 to 24 months, Choat said, and that 98 percent of the properties and rights-of-way have been acquired by the city for the project.

Choat said he has seen designs to create more space at Trussville City Hall, which is running out of administrative space. The designs show a City Hall building that is extended out toward Main Street with a second story added. There have already been renovations to maximize space in the current City Hall.

“We’ve done all we can,” Choat said.

In 2021, the city will take a more “aggressive” approach in recruiting light industry for the Trussville Industrial Park to create jobs in the city, Choat said. Choat said a new Trussville Fire Department station, which would be the city’s fourth, is a priority in 2021 or 2022. It will be constructed in the Trussville-Clay Road area. Additionally, Choat said he hopes to create a Veterans Committee in 2021 that will focus on ways to recognize veterans and active military members in Trussville.

Construction will continue in the Trussville Entertainment District, where a mixed-use building’s construction is ongoing. Spaces in the district will be built out for various restaurants and retail businesses.

“I think what you’ll see as we come out of COVID-19 and people feel a little better about it, particularly retailers, those that want to be in a smaller area get out of the malls or big shopping centers, some of those will find a place downtown because they want people to come in their store,” Choat said. “I think that whole area has generated a lot of excitement.”

Of course, COVID-19’s effects have been far-reaching, and Trussville is not immune to the impact. Projects and construction stalled. Businesses shut down. Recreation tournaments, including a basketball tournament of 150 teams coming to Trussville in February 2020, were canceled. Choat said what he’s looking forward to most in 2021 is getting out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’d like to get back to what we used to call ‘normal days,’” he said. “I think we’re almost going to have to create those. We’re doing our best. We’re taking all the  precautions we can, but we’ve got to keep operating and keep supporting our local businesses. What I’m looking forward to is getting through this and getting into the next year and let everybody kind of get back to what we’re used to doing, and that’s going to school every day, or going to the movie theater or going to the ballpark, and not having to worry about ending up in the emergency room or something like that.”

The five-member Trussville City Council also has its goals for the new year and beyond. Council President Alan Taylor said he is focusing on continuing downtown redevelopment, improving city infrastructure and monitoring controlled growth. Councilman Perry Cook said a goal of his is to expand public safety as growth continues.

The three new members of the city council — Ben Short, Jaime Melton Anderson and Lisa Bright — each have their own goals as well. Short said government transparency is a top focus, which he hopes to achieve by livestreaming city council meetings. Other goals of his include developing a process for Trussville City Board of Education appointments and protecting the historic Cahaba Project. Anderson said government transparency, Trussville City Board of Education appointments and careful government spending are some of her goals. Bright said Trussville City Board of Education appointments, hiring an economic developer, mental health in schools and downtown redevelopment are some of her top goals.

So much of what happens in 2021 in Trussville and anywhere else depends on COVID-19. Will all businesses be open? Will people feel safe to be in crowded public areas again? Will normalcy return or not?

“I want our hotels to fill up again,” Choat said. “I want our restaurants to do well. I want all our stores and local people to do well. We’ve just got to get through this together. It’s been a struggle. I know people’s thoughts have not been entirely on what they normally have been in the past. Hopefully we’ll get back there soon.”