A traffic choke point that’s bedeviled Cobb County for decades is no more, according to project officials. 

A ribbon-cutting is scheduled Thursday morning atop a new bridge spanning Interstate 75 for what’s called the South Barrett Reliever, a multifaceted, $62-million project just south of Kennesaw State University. 

Officials representing Atlanta Regional Commission, the Cobb County Commission, Town Center CID, and Georgia Department of Transportation are all expected to attend the ceremony. 

Now finished, the “transformative” South Barrett Reliever was designed to improve east-west connectivity and spur economic growth in Cobb County near Town Center at Cobb mall and the I-75/I-575 split, according to project officials. 

Courtesy of Town Center Community

The Cobb County area in question (bottom) near the I-75, I-575 split and Town Center at Cobb mall. Google Maps

The problem in that section of Cobb for decades was limited connectivity across I-75, spurring congestion and thwarting growth in a key district for jobs and commercial activity. The $62-million solution called for an east-west link with a bridge between Cobb Parkway (U.S. Highway 41) and Barrett Parkway, which allows drivers to bypass the often traffic-clogged Barrett Parkway/I-75 interchange.  

Barrett Parkway, as Town Center CID officials note, is fully built out with commercial properties, which made traditional road-widening unfeasible.

Urbanists will take heart in knowing the project includes multimodal, pedestrian-focused features including bike lanes, sidewalks, and shared-use paths, with a goal of creating resilience for the long-term. 

A multi-lane roundabout and interstate-spanning bridge included in the South Barrett Reliever project.Courtesy of Town Center Community

Courtesy of Town Center Community

Other components include multi-lane roundabouts described as “modern,” pedestrian crossings and lighting, a “signature” bridge spanning I-75 and Northwest Corridor Express Lanes, and enhancements for streetscapes and landscaping, per officials. 

The South Barrett Reliever “is not simply a bypass,” reads a project explainer. “It is a new framework for how Town Center moves.”

Here’s a bit of additional history—and a glimpse at what the future may hold in this part of the metro: 

Courtesy of Town Center Community

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• Reader writes: Why isn’t this trailside Cobb County corridor thriving? (Urbanize Atlanta)