The Cobb Department of Transportation has organized a meeting for August 27 at the South Cobb Community Center, 620 Lions Club Dr, Mableton, GA 30126, to discuss plans for a Factory Shoals Road pedestrian bridge over I-20 in Mableton.

Cobb DOT posted the following announcement on its website:

Save the Date! Join us on August 27 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the South Cobb Community Center in Mableton for the first public meeting for the Factory Shoals Pedestrian Bridge Study. Learn more about the study goals and provide input on pedestrian and related roadway connectivity and safety needs in the Factory Shoals area, particularly near I-20.

You can also provide input now via our online survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FactoryShoalsSurvey

The online survey for the project has the further information:

The area around Factory Shoals Road and I-20 is undergoing a focused study to better understand mobility and pedestrian safety needs across the Factory Shoals Bridge over I-20 and within the surrounding study area. This survey aims to better understand travel patterns in the study area and how the community utilizes the bridge over I-20. The study area includes the area inside the gray dashed line below.

Why this project is important

The building of the interstate highway system in the United States obliterated many neighborhoods and cut many more in two, with little regard for pedestrian safety and access. In many areas, walking across the interstate require long, inefficient treks.

Lately, there has been a move to alleviate that situation by building pedestrian-friendly bridges at roads that have been cut in two by interstate highways or rendered so unsafe for pedestrians that they are difficult to traverse.

The Courier hopes that Mableton residents will participate in the meeting and/or the survey regarding this important quality-of-life project.

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About the Cobb County Department of Transportation

When a county’s Department of Transportation is mentioned, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?

If you’re like most people, it’s probably the maintenance of county roads and traffic signals. Cobb DOT is certainly responsible for that.

But there are other aspects of a transportation system than just making sure cars don’t fall into potholes and traffic signals work. The department is involved in the construction of the county’s impressive trail network, the operation of the Cobb County International Airport-McCollum Field, and planning for future transportation needs. Cobb DOT engineers also provide the Cobb County Planning Commission and the Board of Commissioners with information on the likely traffic impact of decisions at zoning hearings.

The Cobb DOT director, currently Drew Raessler, attends nearly every Board of Commissioners meeting and requests permission and funding for a wide range of projects.

The Cobb County DOT website describes the responsibilities of the department as follows:

The Cobb County Department of Transportation (DOT) develops, manages, and operates Cobb County’s transportation system. This system includes a vast network of roadways, sidewalks, and trails; a transit system that provides public transportation; and an airport that serves business and recreational flying needs.

The Director and Deputy Director oversee all functions of the Cobb DOT.

Cobb DOT consists of several divisions, including engineering, traffic operations, planning, airport, transit, and road maintenance. It also includes support services, which is a general designation for services that support Cobb DOT across all divisions.