The engineers responsible for studying the feasibility of an elevated roadway along U.S. 280 are coming back to Birmingham &045;

and this time they&8217;re looking to hear from you.

Figg Engineering Group, which specializes in bridges and elevated roadways, will be holding its first of a number of public involvement meetings to talk about everything from the nuts and bolts of construction to the potential aesthetics of the roadway.

The design &8220;Charette&8221; workshops will be held at the end of October at the Healthsouth Conference Center on Highway 280.

While these charettes are invitation only, you can still request on invitation by E-mail at mailto:us280@figgbridge.com.

These meetings will be a day-long event and allow local residents, business leaders and elected officials a chance to voice how they would like to see the elevated roadway work.

The first meetings will be followed up by open public involvement meetings in the months to come.

While this project, which being researched by the Project 280 Task Force, is still a hypothetical, it&8217;s quickly becoming a reality.

Some citizens are concerned about a 30-foot high roadway blotting out the skyline from their home, while others are worried that the construction of such a project would be more pain than it was worth.

Regardless of your position on the subject, these upcoming meetings are a great opportunity to hear how local leaders are trying to alleviate the pains of U.S. 280. If you travel on Highway 280 regularly, now is the time to speak up.

For more information, you can send an e-mail to mailto:us280@figgbridge.com