By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA–As the Shelby County Commission continues to examine a feasibility study for a possible Hotel and Conference Center at Oak Mountain State Park, county leaders are reviewing crash data on State Park Road between Alabama 119 and John Findley Drive in Pelham.

At the Feb. 23 Shelby County Commission meeting, an intersection crash record summary between the years of 2004 and 2013 was presented and 353 total crashes were recorded on State Park Road. Three resulted in fatalities, 37 involved injuries and eight were the result of drivers under the influence.

“Three hundred fifty three accidents is the equivalent to almost three a month on Oak Mountain State Park Road,” said Shelby County Manager Alex Dudchock. “As were doing projects and have other things of that nature, we look at that data.”

The year 2005 had the highest number of crashes with 68. Twenty eight percent of the crashes were caused by the driver not being in control and 53 percent of the total crashes were run-off-the-road crashes with various primary causes.

The Shelby County Commission and other officials are examining the feasibility for a lodging facility with conference meeting space and a full-service restaurant within Oak Mountain State Park.

The feasibility study recommends the hotel to include 175 rooms and a total meeting space of 15,000-20,000 square feet.