PHOTO ABOVE: Image from the Cobb County website

According to a county news release, a ribbon‐cutting ceremony on Sept. 11 marked the opening of the final mile of the Bob Callan Trail, completing a long‑planned multiuse path that now connects Terrell Mill Road to the Chattahoochee River at Paces Mill. The Cumberland Community Improvement District (CID), in partnership with Cobb County and the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), unveiled the final $7.4 million phase, including a new trailhead at Windy Hill Road and a .3‑mile extension, bringing the full trail length to four miles.

Work on the Bob Callan Trail began more than two decades ago. Built in three segments since 2005, the trail provides a paved corridor for walking, biking, running and other outdoor recreation, linking Cumberland’s business district with the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area.

“The Bob Callan Trail is a powerful testament to visionary leadership that began in the ‘90s, through strategic planning, vital partnerships, and sheer perseverance,” said Bob Voyles, chair of the Cumberland CID Board of Directors. “This incredible asset caps a more than 25‑year project and is more than just a trail; it’s Cumberland’s natural escape to a national park and the Chattahoochee River.”

Speakers at the event included Kim Menefee, executive director of the Cumberland CID and its nonprofit One Cumberland; Bob Voyles; Cobb County Chairwoman Lisa Cupid; Cobb Commissioners Erick Allen and JoAnn Birrell; and Drew Raessler, director of Cobb County Department of Transportation.

The newly completed phase features a trailhead at the intersection of Windy Hill and Bentley Road. Amenities there include accessible parking, shaded seating, fitness features, bike‑repair stations, wayfinding signage and landscaped green space. Designed for a broad range of users, the extension enhances access to the county’s trail network and to the 840‑acre Chattahoochee National Recreation Area.

Cobb County Chairwoman Lisa Cupid said the project aligns with the county’s Greenways & Trails Master Plan. “This trail reflects Cobb County’s vision of building connected, resilient communities,” she said. “We are proud to invest in infrastructure that supports recreation, wellness, and alternative transportation.”

The funding for the final phase came from the Cumberland CID, Cobb County, and the ARC, underscoring a collaborative approach to regional trail network expansion and community connectivity.

Named for Bob Callan, a longtime trail advocate and engineer with the Federal Highway Administration, the Bob Callan Trail is now among several major infrastructure and green‑space investments aimed at enhancing quality of life and alternative transportation in the Cumberland area.