Gresham Smith Selected to Lead Study of Chastain Road Corridor

April 15, 2020

Gresham Smith has been selected to lead a planning study of the Chastain Road Corridor in Cobb County, Georgia, to identify strategies that will improve the safety and efficiency of all modes of travel along the corridor, with a focus on creating a walkable environment and identifying catalysts for vibrant, public-oriented development.

The study will also formulate concepts for the streetscape, design guidelines, and a signage and wayfinding program. The recommended improvements will encourage the safe and efficient movement of pedestrians, bicycles, and vehicles in, through, and around the corridor.

This work is made possible by a $150,000 grant from the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Livable Centers Initiative program to the Town Center Community Improvement District (TCCID), who is overseeing the project.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to study what the future could look like in our rapidly growing community,” said Tracy Rathbone Styf, executive director of TCCID. “Since 2010, the number of people living within the TCCID has increased by 27 percent, and infrastructure improvements need to be made to the corridor to adjust to the growth we’re seeing. Our goal is to work with residents and the consultants at Gresham Smith to develop a plan for a safer, more vibrant corridor that benefits the community at large.”

The portion of Chastain Road being evaluated as part of this study is located within the Town Center Community Improvement District and extends from Big Shanty Road to Bells Ferry Road. Notable points of interest within the study area include TownPark and portions of Kennesaw State University.

Public engagement has begun and will be shifting online with the recent coronavirus pandemic outbreak. Residents can submit their feedback on the project’s website at http://towncentercid.com/vision/studies/chastain-road-lci-corridor-study/. Additional work will include an economic analysis, look at existing conditions and potential opportunities to upgrade the corridor, and ways to harness technology to improve travel conditions along the corridor.

The report is expected to be finalized by the end of the year, and it will show key opportunities for improvement, including a series of recommendations with an action plan for the community to consider.

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