Simplify the following text for a Grade 7 native English-speaking person.
Original: U.S. Highway 31 , a two-lane highway at that time , was the main artery from Birmingham to Montgomery and played an important part in the growth of the community .
Simplified: U.S. Highway 31 was a two-lane highway at that time . Because it was the main artery from Birmingham to Montgomery , the highway played an important part in the growth of the community .