By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

The Alabaster City Council voted during its Aug. 5 meeting to approve the installation of a new traffic light at the intersection of Alabama 119 and Shelby County 80.

The council voted to enter into an agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation to install and maintain the new traffic signal, which will help alleviate traffic congestion at the intersection.

City Council President Scott Brakefield previously said the new traffic signal will especially benefit residents of Wynlake and other subdivisions on Shelby County 80. Brakefield said without a traffic signal, it is difficult for residents to turn onto Alabama 119 from Shelby County 80.

The decision to approve the new traffic signal came several days after the state approved an about $10-million project to widen Alabama 119 between Shelby County 26 and Shelby County 80.

Alabaster officials were working with the Alabama Department of Transportation to install a traffic signal at the Alabama 119-Shelby County 80 intersection when funding for the widening project was approved.

When installed, the new traffic signal will be constructed with the widening project in mind, Brakefield said previously.