The city of Helena and U.S. Steel opened a portion of Hillsboro Parkway on Thursday, with hopes the new road will relieve congestion and stimulate growth in the area.
A portion of the 2.5 mile parkway, from County Road 52 to County Road 91 in Northern Shelby County, is complete and the remainder is under construction, scheduled to open soon, said a news release.
The roadway project is a nearly $10 million public-private partnership between Helena and U.S. Steel and consists of two-, three- and four-lane sections, multi-use trails and a tunnel between U.S. Steel’s Hillsboro subdivision and the new Helena Middle School. The new road also will offer alternative access to the school.
“Hillsboro Parkway gives the public better access to the middle school and will help with congestion at the Hwy. 17, Hwy. 52 and Hwy. 261 intersection,” said Helena Mayor Sonny Penhale. “The parkway was funded by U.S. Steel – something the city would have been unable to accomplish by itself. The construction of the parkway will drive commercial development in the future and will add revenue to the city.”
