Chelsea residents will have a chance to voice their opinions on a proposed elevated express lane project on U.S. 280 during an April 20 meeting at City Hall.

Mayor Earl Niven announced the public meeting, which will be held April 20 at 2:30 p.m., during an April 6 Chelsea City Council meeting.

During the public meeting on the elevated lanes, city officials will speak with representatives from the Alabama Department of Transportation and the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham.

“I have invited the mayors from up and down this end of 280,” Niven said. “We have only heard support of this project from mayors on the north end of 280.

“We want people on this side of 280 to be able to come out and voice their concerns,” Niven added.

Niven said he hopes the meeting will help state and local officials formulate a plan to relieve traffic congestion on U.S. 280.

“We have got to do something now, or those two young people in the back of the room will be dealing with this when they get old enough to drive,” Niven said, pointing to two children at the back of the council chambers. “We hope people will come to this meeting and then write in about it.”

In other business, the council:

Voted to participate in Alabama’s sales tax-free weekend Aug. 6-8.

Throughout the weekend, city businesses will charge no sales tax on certain clothing items, books, computer supplies and school supplies.

“The state will actually determine exactly what items will be exempt that weekend,” Niven said.

Announced the city has mailed out certified letters to local developers whose neighborhood roads are in unsatisfactory condition.

“We are working to make ongoing progress on those issues,” Niven said. “Hopefully with the weather like it is now, it will encourage the developers to fix those problems.”

In March, Chelsea officials toured the Covington Place, Sydney’s Place, Brynleigh Estates, Sunset Lakes, Greenbriar and Foothills subdivisions and identified roads in need of repair.