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Round Forest Drive, the cut-through connection between Mountain Brook and Irondale, will remain open, according to a headline and brief excerpt published October 3, 2026. The available excerpt says new security measures are planned but does not identify them, who will implement them, or when they will begin. Those details—and the stated reason for the decision—remain unconfirmed.
What is known about the decision
The October 3 report from KhanList gives the latest reported outcome: Round Forest Drive will stay open with new security measures. Its accessible excerpt does not specify the measures or provide the full story. No official announcement confirming their details was available in the material reviewed, so claims about cameras, patrols, barriers, or other steps would be speculation. KhanList’s October 3 report
Round Forest Drive connects Mountain Brook and Irondale. The decision follows several weeks of discussion over residents’ requests to close the connection and restore a cul-de-sac, as well as concerns about public safety and emergency access.
How the debate developed
Residents asked about closing the connection
At a July 27, 2026, Mountain Brook City Council meeting, residents raised concerns about trespassing, drug activity, and other criminal behavior around Round Forest Drive and Round Forest Circle. They asked the city to consider restoring a cul-de-sac. These were residents’ reports, not independently established crime statistics. Council discussion included the closure process, fire-truck turning space, police activity, and coordination between the two municipalities. ABC 33/40’s report
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Mountain Brook began reviewing options
On August 10, ABC 33/40 reported that Mountain Brook was studying the issue and communicating with Irondale. Mayor Graham Smith said a traffic count was underway, while Police Chief Thomas Boulware was developing alternatives. Officials also considered possible effects on police, fire, and emergency access; at that point, the city had made no decision to close the road. ABC 33/40’s report
The city authorized a traffic study
Mountain Brook authorized Skipper Consulting to conduct a traffic study at its August 24 council meeting, according to a report published the next day by Village Living Online. The authorization was for $8,950. The reports in the available material do not give the study’s findings or a final vehicle count. Village Living Online’s report
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During the study discussion, traffic engineer Richard Caudle cited the city’s past experience considering closure of Beech Circle. Mayor Smith said the study was needed to understand the facts and possible unintended consequences before choosing an option. The study’s authorization alone does not establish what the study concluded.
Irondale urged caution
In a September 6 Village Living Online report about a Mountain Brook work session, Irondale Mayor James Stewart argued against closing the road prematurely. He said police chiefs should coordinate if the issue was policing. His position reflects one side of the discussion; it does not establish the reasoning behind the October 3 outcome. Village Living Online’s report
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What remains unclear
The latest accessible report establishes only that the road is expected to remain open and that new security measures are planned. It does not establish:
- What measures will be put in place.
- Whether Mountain Brook, Irondale, or another agency will be responsible.
- When implementation will begin.
- What traffic-study results informed the decision.
- How officials weighed residents’ concerns against through traffic and emergency access.
Earlier reports describe the competing considerations, but they do not show that the road’s open status caused criminal activity or that any particular security measure will resolve residents’ concerns.
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