By Mark Woolsey

The city of Marietta plans a ribbon-cutting this Friday to mark the completion of the long-running Fairground Streetscape Project.

The 10 a.m. ceremony at the corner of Fairground and Haley streets will spotlight the final phase of improvements along the corridor, as well as the totality of the project stretching back nearly 20 years.

City officials say Phase 4 was funded to the tune of $4.5 million through the 2011 SPLOST and was aimed at pedestrian connectivity improvements and roadway upgrades. The work included new sidewalks and pedestrian crosswalks, retaining walls, traffic signals and better stormwater drainage.

The wrap up work focused on the stretch of Fairground from Roswell St. to South Marietta Parkway.