Transportation Improvement Projects (TIP) Update

Cobb voters approved the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) to fund important transportation and public safety projects in 2005. Since then, significant progress has been made in many areas, including the jail expansion, transportation improvements, and new courthouse project.

Nearing the end of the third year for the county’s six year 2005 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), DOT is wrapping up an incredibly productive year. In this past year alone, DOT has completed 34 percent of the 260 total projects in the program and another 31 percent, valued at $106 million, bid for construction. DOT is ahead of the proposed construction schedule and is poised to complete its projects ahead of schedule and within budget. During the summer, a major focus was placed on constructing bridge and school SPLOST projects. This summer 15 bridges were let for construction (totaling $12.7 million), leaving only seven of the original 34 bridge projects that have not yet started construction. For schools this year, nine school safety improvement projects were let for construction (totaling $3.9 million) leaving only six of the original 26 school projects left to complete. DOT has worked tremendously hard to fulfill the county’s SPLOST objectives and will continue to do so.

As of this November, 231 of the 260 total transportation projects in the program are underway or completed. To break down these projects into specific phases of construction; 136 have begun the right-of-way acquisition phase, 84 projects are completed and 136 projects have begun construction - including the following:

20 school zone improvement projects valued at $5 million
25 bridge rehabilitation and replacement projects valued at $12 million
26 intersection safety and operational improvements valued at $16 million
20 thoroughfare and roadway safety Improvement projects valued at $57.5 million
220 miles of road resurfacing valued at $35.9 million

Click here to view a Cobb County map detailing current construction locations happening all over the county.

Here is a closer look at three major SPLOST projects in various stages of development:

Cobb County DOT held a groundbreaking for the Windy Hill/Macland Road Connector and is beginning its first phase of construction
DOT’s first roundabout project in West Cobb will be wrapping up construction by the end of the year
Cobb County’s newest transportation planning initiative: The Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvement Plan (BPIP) held its first stakeholder meeting in October and plans public involvement workshops beginning in January 2009.

GROUNDBREAKING FOR THE WINDY HILL/MACLAND CONNECTOR

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on October 30, 2008 at Jim R. Miller Park for the Windy Hill/Macland Road Connector; by far the county’s largest transportation project of the 2005 SPLOST Program.

The Windy Hill Macland Road Connector will provide a new four lane divided roadway from the intersection of Macland Road and Powder Springs Road, to the existing intersection at Austell Road and Windy Hill Road. This roadway will significantly reduce travel times as well as congestion on Powder Springs Road and neighboring Callaway Road, County Services Parkway and Milford Church Road.

According to David Montanye, DOT Director, “The Connector will provide a missing link in the county’s network of roads and eliminate a bottleneck at the intersection of Powder Springs Road and Macland Road.” At present, approximately 48,000 vehicles pass daily through these intersections. With the construction of this project, a more direct route for motorists traveling to I-75 will become available.

This project will be built in stages; the first being construction of an underpass at Callaway Road, through Jim R. Miller Park and a bridge spanning over Olley Creek to Austell Road. The connector is anticipated to be open for traffic by the end of 2010.

For more project information, go to dot.cobbcountyga.gov/windyhill-connector/

COBB’S FIRST ROUNDABOUT

This $768,800 improvement project includes upgrades at Irwin Road and the first roundabout constructed by Cobb County DOT at the intersection of Villa Rica Road and West Sandtown Road. Project construction, which started this fall, is nearly finished with expected completion by the end of the year.

Roundabouts have been proven nationwide to significantly reduce the number and severity of accidents at an intersection. This location in west Cobb is ideal for a roundabout and will result in reduced traffic delays, particularly in the daily afternoon back-up along Villa Rica Road from Barrett Parkway to West Sandtown Road.

To view an instructional video detailing how to navigate through a roundabout intersection, go to communications.cobbcountyga.gov/tv23/vod-dot.htm and for more project information, go to www.cobbdot.org.

BIKE PED PLAN
DOT recently began work on its newest county-wide planning initiative: The Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvement Plan (BPIP). This SPLOST-funded study will update the county’s Bicycle Transportation Greenway Plan of 1993. The BPIP will take an in-depth look at providing safe, convenient infrastructure for non-motorized transportation (activities such as bicycling, walking, jogging etc.) throughout Cobb County.

In addition to looking at infrastructure needs including multi-use trails, shared paths, sidewalks and on-road bicycle lanes, the plan will evaluate existing transportation and land use policies, ordinances and regulations. Other major components of the plan include the development of a Safe Routes to School program, which will be designed to help children walk or bicycle safely to schools from nearby neighborhoods. Another component is the evaluation of options for extending the Silver Comet Trail into the City of Atlanta.

Public workshops are planned for January 2009 with completion of the plan expected by October 2009. More information can be found at dot.cobbcountyga.gov/bikeped.

RESURFACING
Since the beginning of the 2005 SPLOST program 220 miles of roadway, valued at $30 million dollars, has been resurfaced with SPLOST dollars as the primary source of repaving funds. Estimated resurfacing needs occur at least every 20 years, however without funding, many roads are put on a 30 year maintenance schedule. Delaying resurfacing sometimes leads to the need for total reconstruction of the roadway resulting in four to five times the cost of standard resurfacing.

The county has a Pavement Management program that prioritizes street repairs by pavement and ride conditions. This is a continuous, year-round evaluation and record-keeping process whose objective is to extend the normal life span of asphalt and concrete surfaces. SPLOST dollars are essential in keeping the maintenance of county roads at the highest of standards.

SIGNAL TIMING IMPROVEMENTS
Traffic signal timing projects as part of the Congestion Relief and Mobility Improvement component of the SPLOST are 80 percent complete. The projects included in this component will improve the operation of several major corridors and reduce delays, fuel consumptions and emissions by moving traffic more efficiently through signalized intersections. Signal timing improvements have been focused along the following corridors: Atlanta Road, Barrett Parkway, Cobb Parkway, Powder Springs Road, Old Highway 41, Richard Sailors Parkway, South Cobb Drive, Wade Green Road and Windy Hill Road.

CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Stilesboro Road Phases I, II and II
Phase I is a new five-lane section being constructed from SR 176/Mars Hill Road to the bridge east of Rosehedge Way. This segment of Stilesboro should be completed by early January 2009.

Phase II includes intersection improvements and turn lane additions between Old Stilesboro Road and Shillings Road. Construction is well underway in this section and should be completed in late spring 2009.

Phase III includes widening to a 4-lane divided section between Kennesaw Due West Road and Ernest Barrett Parkway. Construction has just started on this phase and is anticipated to be complete in fall of 2009.

North Church Lane Bridge Replacement over CSX Railroad
This project just began the construction phase and will result in replacement of the bridge at North Church Lane near Atlanta Road. Also included in the project will be widening and addition of sidewalk on North Church Lane and addition of sidewalk along Atlanta Road between Old Atlanta Station Drive and N. Church Lane. This project will result in closure of N.Church Lane near Atlanta Road during construction.

North Booth Road/Wooten Lake Road
Improvements replacing a hazardous offset intersection have been completed at North Booth Road/Wooten Lake Road at Shiloh Road. The safety and operational improvement projects for the widening and addition of sidewalk to North Booth Road and Wooten Lake Road will be completed in spring of 2009.

Six Flags Drive at Riverside Parkway
S. Gordon Road at Pisgah Road
These two intersection projects just recently began construction and will significantly reduce the traffic congestion found at these locations. These projects are anticipated to complete construction in the summer of 2009. When traveling through these construction sites, please exercise caution and be prepared for potential delays.

PROJECTS ON THE HORIZON

Acworth Due West Road
This project will widen the existing roadway, providing sidewalk on one side from Burnt Hickory Road (north leg) to just north of US 41. This project is currently in the property acquisition phase and is anticipated to begin construction early in 2009. The first phase of construction will include Acworth Due West from Burnt Hickory Road to Stilesboro Road. Completion is expected by spring 2010.

Big Shanty Phase I
Design work and property acquisition is continuing for the Big Shanty Phase I project which will connect George Busbee Parkway at Big Shanty Road with Barrett Lakes Parkway by taking the roadway under Interstate 75. This project is anticipated to begin construction in summer of 2009 with expected completion in spring 2011.

Austell Road at East-West Connector
Construction work should begin in early 2009 to improve safety and reduce accidents at one of the most highly congested intersections in Cobb County. Improvements will include addition of thru lanes on the East-West Connector through the Austell Road Intersection and addition of turn lanes. This project will be under construction throughout 2009 with expected completion by the end of 2009.

JAIL EXPANSION

On July 31, 2007, county officials broke ground for the $110 million expansion of the Cobb County Adult Detention Center. The project is well underway, within budget and should be completed on the scheduled timeline. The housing tower’s skeletal structure is complete and interior walls, cells and utilities are being installed. Construction on the Visitor Building will be completed in December and the Sheriff’s Office will begin operation sometime in January. The Administrative Building is scheduled for completion in April and the housing tower at the end of 2009. The renovation and expansion of the laundry area has also been completed. The next step will be the renovation and expansion of the kitchen area. When finished, the jail expansion will add more than 320,000 square feet and 1,152 beds to the facility, bringing its capacity to 3,077 prisoners.

NEW COURTHOUSE
SPLOST funds of $55 million will enable the building of a new courthouse that will combine all of the county’s court services on one campus and allow Juvenile Court to move to downtown Marietta. The new building will also provide a larger jury assembly room to house jurors. The Board of Commissioners approved the design/build contractor Turner Construction, Inc. and a contract has been signed with the company. Project managers are currently analyzing the cost comparison of adding an additional floor for future growth, reviewing previous site assessment survey and space programming documents, finalizing court room layouts with Superior Court judges and staff, finalizing department layouts and space programming with court-related departments and coordinating with the Sherriff’s Office on security measurements for the new building. Construction is anticipated to begin in April.

Information relating to SPLOST transportation projects is updated regularly and can be viewed at www.cobbcip.org. If you have any questions or comments regarding transportation projects, please email Cobb DOT at cobbdot@cobbcounty.org or contact the Cobb DOT Engineering Division at 770-528-1621. The next SPLOST transportation e-newsletter will be available in February 2009.