A group of Lay Lake property owners met with elected officials late last month to discuss their opposition to a proposed Coosa River bridge connecting Talladega and Shelby counties.

Nearly 30 people showed up at the meeting held at Hall Park Community Center in Shelby Shores, according to organizer Patti Cochran. The group discussed the project with State Rep. Mike Hill and county commissioners Dan Acker and Corley Ellis.

Leaders from Shelby and Talladega counties have long been at odds over the bridge at Perkins Landing, which would re-route traffic from U.S. 280 onto Highway 145 and County Roads 28 and 42.

Shelby County was notified of Talladega&8217;s application for federal permission to build the bridge in November, prompting Shelby officials to request an access permit and certain infrastructure requirements before dropping their opposition to the project.

Those requirements included Talladega County footing the bill for road improvements to accommodate additional traffic created by the project, including the completion of Alabama 145 from Wilsonville to Shelby County 28 and improvements to nearly six miles of Shelby County 28.

The group led by Cochran, meeting under the name Coosa River Preservation Coalition, opposes the bridge based on concerns over traffic safety, financial burdens and environmental impact.

Cochran said the group plans to hold future meetings to discuss the proposal. She can be reached at 669-2830 for more information