Drivers in Helena now have a quicker way to travel from Helena Intermediate School to Shelby County 17.

The city opened the remainder of the Hillsboro Parkway June 11, which connects Shelby County 91 and 17. A section of the parkway between Shelby County 91 and 52 opened in February.

With the entire parkway now open, drivers can travel from Shelby County 52 to 17 without traveling through the typically busy intersection of Shelby County 52 and 261 near the Publix supermarket.

U.S. Steel began funding and constructing Hillsboro Parkway in 2007, and the company plans to create a residential and retail district along the parkway.

Heavy rains this year delayed U.S. Steel in completing the section of the parkway between Shelby County 91 and 17, and Helena officials recently approved an additional $800,000 in bonds to allow the company to complete the road.

With the additional $800,000, the project cost U.S. Steel about $10.7 million.

The roadway project came at no cost to Helena, but the city will grant U.S. Steel a 50 percent discount on sales taxes collected at any retail location built along the parkway in the future.