Residents are to access Thompson Road from Byrd Road for the first time since the road was closed earlier this year as the new Morgan Center Business Park nears its completion.

Officials responsible for the construction of the park, which is being built by the Morgan County Economic Development Association, reopened the road to local traffic late Wednesday afternoon.

Ben Peck, project manager for the MCEDA, said the project is nearing substantial completion. However, he said there is still work to be done before the park can officially open.

“We still have a few things left on our checklist,” Peck said, “but we are are at substantial completion. That means we were able reopen the road to traffic. However, the road has not yet been accepted by the City of Hartselle.”

Hartselle Department of Development director Jeff Johnson said the city will not accept the project until the project construction is complete. Johnson said there are several items that need to be completed before the city would accept the road. That includes installing a permanent barricade at a potential expansion of the park.

Johnson, who lives near the park, said he’s glad about the news.

“I’m sure my wife is happy about it,” Johnson said. “We used to use Byrd Road to get to the interstate, but since the project began, we’ve had to go around it.”