Shelby County is one step closer to developing a park along the Cahaba River.

County Manager Alex Dudchock announced Monday that 198 acres along the Cahaba now belong to the county.

&8220;We closed last Friday,&8221; he said.

The county purchased 198 acres from U.S. Steel Corporation.

&8220;I appreciate the work of Commissioner (Larry) Dillard in helping to make this happen,&8221; Dudchock said.

He said the county was still looking at purchasing additional land from Cahaba Forest LLC, Westervelt and others.

Dudchock also reported to the commission regarding the old jail in Columbiana.

The demolition bid on the facility was awarded last week to Tomlin Excavation for $86,125.

County employees already removed 950 tons of concrete from the facility.

Dudchock expects to bid the license office/state trooper driver&8217;s license testing facility project in early March.

Another project expected to get under way soon is state&8217;s repaving project of Alabama Highway 119 from Highway 31 to Highway 280.

County Engineer Randy Cole said the state had already awarded the bid for the paving project, and told commissioners to expect no closed lanes between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m.

&8220;This will be a nighttime paving job,&8221; Cole said