Gresham Smith to Design Chattahoochee RiverLands Pilot Project in Cobb County
Gresham Smith is excited to announce that it has been selected to design the first phase of the Chattahoochee River Trail Pedestrian Improvements project overseen by Cobb County.
The project carries special significance because it stems from the award-winning Chattahoochee RiverLands Greenway Study, developed by a multidisciplinary team and led by SCAPE Landscape Architecture. The 100-mile study seeks to reunite the river with the Metro Atlanta region and link suburban, urban and rural communities into a continuous public realm. This project is seen as a pilot for the study’s larger vision, intended to test and demonstrate design strategies that will ultimately lead to a cohesive network of public trails, water access and greenspace along the waterway.
Located on the county-owned land between Mableton Parkway and Veterans Memorial Highway, the project will ultimately include approximately 2.4 miles of pedestrian and bike-friendly trails that will connect to other nearby trails. The first phase will focus on approximately 1.3 miles of biking and walking trails including four segments of boardwalk north of Nickajack Creek
Rooted in the concept of the goals of the overall RiverLands study, the project will explore the opportunities and challenges of designing a trail along the river. The project will include two “nooks”—or areas for small outdoor social gatherings, resting areas and opportunities to explore the surrounding habitat.
“Phase I of the Chattahoochee River Trail Pedestrian Improvements is the first step in the larger rollout of the RiverLands project,” said Jody Braswell, Georgia state transportation leader at Gresham Smith. “Our design work will show the potential in the one of the region’s most appreciated but underutilized landmarks, and we look forward to working with Cobb County on this first phase.”
Gresham Smith’s transportation professionals deliver comprehensive management, planning, design, environmental, and construction phase services for highway, transit, bike, pedestrian, aviation and rail facilities throughout the Southeast. The staff of engineers, planners and scientists capitalize on the firm’s diverse blend of markets and disciplines to offer a truly integrated and sustainable approach that considers all perspectives and offers practical, forward-thinking solutions.