(CUMBERLAND) – The Cumberland Community Improvement District (CID), in partnership with Cobb County and the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), officially opened the final mile of the Bob Callan Trail during a ribbon-cutting ceremony held on Thursday.
The ceremony marked the completion of the final phase of the Bob Callan Trail, which has been built in three segments dating back to 2005. The final $7.4 million phase delivers a new trailhead at Windy Hill Road and a critical .3-mile extension that creates a fully connected 4-mile multi-use trail from Terrell Mill Road to the Chattahoochee River at Paces Mill.
“The Bob Callan Trail represents a capstone to the Cumberland CID’s multiyear efforts to build a fully integrated trail network within the Cumberland district. It is a powerful testament to visionary leadership of the Board 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 the Cumberland Community’s trailhead to a national park and the Chattahoochee River.”
Speakers for Tuesday’s ribbon cutting included Kim Menefee, executive director of the Cumberland CID and its non-profit, One Cumberland; Bob Voyles, chair of the Cumberland CID Board of Directors; Cobb County Chairwoman Lisa Cupid; Cobb Commissioners Erick Allen and JoAnn Birrell, and Drew Raessler, director of Cobb County Department of Transportation.
The final phase includes a trailhead, located at the intersection of Windy Hill and Bentley Road, featuring accessible parking, shaded seating, fitness amenities, bike repair stations, wayfinding signage, and landscaped green space. All assets are designed to serve a broad range of trail users. The extension also improves access to the 840-acre Chattahoochee National Recreation Area and further enhances the region’s growing network of connected trails.
Cobb County Chairwoman Lisa Cupid praised the project for aligning with the County’s Greenways & Trails Master Plan. “This trail reflects Cobb County’s vision of building connected, resilient communities,” said Chairwoman Cupid. “We are proud to invest in infrastructure that supports recreation, wellness, and alternative transportation.”
The trails project was made possible through funding support from the Cumberland CID, Cobb County, and the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) and reflects regional efforts to expand the trail network, promote multimodal connectivity, and quality of life.
The trail is named in honor of Bob Callan, a long-serving trail advocate and engineer with the Federal Highway Administration, whose work helped catalyze the project to fruition.
About the Cumberland CID: The Cumberland Community Improvement District (CID), Georgia’s first CID, is one of the nation’s premier models of public-private collaboration. More than 190 Commercial property owners pay additional property taxes, and the CID leverages these funds to advance key projects for increased access, better connectivity, and a more vibrant character throughout the Cumberland area. Each year, the CID creates more value for the community by initiating and leading enhancements to make Cumberland a more attractive place to operate a business, to work, and to live. Today, Cumberland has a $26.6 billion annual impact on Georgia’s economy. Cumberland is home to leading companies including The Home Depot, Papa Johns, TKE, Comcast, Genuine Parts Company, and more.