Explore the Proposed Cobb County Trail to Connect Austell, Powder Springs and the Silver Comet Trail

Cobb County is inviting citizen comments on a proposed bike and multi-use recreation trail that would connect Powder Springs and the Silver Comet Trail to downtown Austell.

The proposed Austell-Powder Spring trail will increase recreation opportunities, plus create new connections between Cobb County cities.Photo byDeanLand / OurTravelCafe.com

Extending approximately four miles, the proposed recreation trail will connect multiple schools and parks while increasing access to the Silver Comet Trail, according to the project proposal. In addition, the trail corridor will also connect users to the Historic Clarkdale Mill Village and Threadmill Complex.

Comments and input will be accepted on the proposed project at a public meeting scheduled for March 28, beginning at 6:30 pm at the Threadmill Complex in Austell.

A brief presentation will take place around 6:35 p.m., followed by an open house that will take place until 8:30 p.m. Attendees can review and provide feedback on potential conceptual trail alignment alternatives that may be considered.

The 4-mile Austell -Powder Springs Trail will stretch more than four miles in Southwest Cobb County.Photo byCobb County public document

If plans for the proposed trail move forward, the Cobb County trail will connect all seven of Cobb's current cities using road-adjacent and dedicated trails. The Austell-Powder Springs Road Trail is one of eight trails identified by the public for prioritization in the 2018 Greenways & Trails Master Plan.

The Austell-Powder Spring Road Trail is one of two current greenways and trails master plan projects currently under review. The county is in the final phases of evaluating the Noonday Creek Trail Extension project. The scoping study for that project is expected to be completed in Summer of 2023.

Multi-use trails have become an increasingly-popular method for counties and cities to improve recreational opportunities, promote alternative transportation methods, increase business opportunities and raise property values. The region's greatest success story is the Atlanta Beltline, now considered by city planners and recreation enthusiasts as a model for recreation trail planning. The project now is promoted by the state of Georgia as a major tourist destination, too.

By connecting to the Silver Comet Trail, cyclists and others will be able to reach scenic sites, like the trestle over Pumpkinvine Creek.Photo byDeanLand / OurTravelCafe.com