COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Transportation officials in Cobb County, in coordination with state and municipal partners, are requesting public feedback on a proposed $24.4 million pedestrian bridge across Cobb Parkway near The Battery Atlanta.
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The proposed grade-separated structure would span State Route 3, also known as U.S. Highway 41 and Cobb Parkway, at the intersection of Tim Lee Way. Local agencies proposed the project to reduce pedestrian crash risks and alleviate severe traffic congestion along the seven-lane commercial corridor.
The project is sponsored jointly by the Cobb County Department of Transportation, the Cumberland Community Improvement District and the City of Smyrna, with administrative and technical oversight provided by the Georgia Department of Transportation. As the designated project sponsor, the Cobb County Department of Transportation is managing project design, right-of-way acquisition and construction responsibilities.
State and county planners proposed the bridge to address documented pedestrian safety concerns and severe vehicle delays surrounding major events at Truist Park and The Battery. Cobb Parkway currently features seven lanes of travel with a posted speed limit of 45 mph at the Tim Lee Way intersection.
About 250,000 pedestrians cross Cobb Parkway each year along the stretch between Spring Road/Circle 75 Parkway and Cumberland Boulevard/Windy Ridge Parkway. On event days at The Battery, pedestrian traffic spikes to about 3,000 crossings along that same segment.
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Safety data collected along the corridor demonstrates a pattern of pedestrian conflicts and traffic risks.
Between April 2017, when Truist Park opened to the public and March 2025, five pedestrian crashes occurred along Cobb Parkway between Spring Road/Circle 75 Parkway and Cumberland Boulevard/Windy Ridge Parkway.
A study conducted over a seven-day period in May 2025 recorded 31 near-miss events involving pedestrians attempting to cross Cobb Parkway. Transportation officials defined near-misses as incidents that could have resulted in physical harm. The observation study revealed that 55% of those near-miss incidents occurred during dark conditions when visibility was poor.
To address these hazards, engineers designed a grade-separated multi-use pedestrian bridge that will span Cobb Parkway at the Way intersection. The proposed bridge will offer 15 feet of continuous walking space for pedestrians and cyclists.
To maintain full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the design incorporates accessible ramps as well as stairs at both ends of the bridge structure. Transportation planners stated the bridge will provide pedestrians with a direct, continuous and convenient access route to The Battery while separating foot traffic from vehicular traffic.
Officials cautioned that taking no action under a no-build scenario would leave existing safety risks unaddressed. Without the bridge, high volumes of pedestrians will continue crossing seven lanes of traffic, maintaining current crash risks and causing ongoing traffic delays for motorists on Cobb Parkway following events.
The total estimated cost for the project is $24,411,399. Officials noted that cost figures are estimates and will be updated as the project progresses through its planning phases.
Funding for the project is divided across four distinct project phases and fiscal years. Preliminary engineering costs are estimated at $2,250,000 for fiscal year 2024. Right-of-way acquisition is projected to cost $8,721,000 in fiscal year 2028. Construction costs are estimated at $11,946,319 for fiscal year 2029, alongside $1,494,020 in utility relocation costs planned for fiscal year 2029.
The project is categorized as an enhancement project within the Construction Work Program and is currently in the preliminary design phase.
Engineers are currently developing preliminary design and construction plans by integrating survey data and public comments. Sponsoring agencies are specifically seeking community feedback regarding local resources or scheduled events that future construction work might impact once building begins.
A joint statement from the project sponsors—the Cobb County Department of Transportation, the Cumberland Community Improvement District and the City of Smyrna, in coordination with the Georgia Department of Transportation—emphasized the importance of public comments in refining the project plans.
“All comments will be considered as we develop the plans and a response will be posted to this site approximately 30 days after the close of the comment period,” officials from the sponsoring organizations said in the statement.
The public comment period will remain open through Dec. 4. Members of the public can submit comments online through the project’s virtual engagement hub or complete a printed comment form from the project documents section and mail it to the Georgia Department of Transportation at One Georgia Center, 600 West Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta, Ga. 30308.
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