New Traffic Plan Announced for the 2024 North Georgia State Fair

New Traffic Plan Announced for the 2024 North Georgia State Fair

Marietta, GA (Sept. 13, 2024) - Fairgoers heading to Jim R. Miller Park for the 2024 North Georgia State Fair will encounter a new traffic pattern designed to improve access to parking areas. The Cobb County Sheriff's Office has reconfigured traffic flow around the park to reduce congestion in nearby residential areas.

The most significant change involves Callaway Road, which runs along the park's western side. It will be limited to local traffic only. Sheriff's deputies will restrict access from Callaway Road to Al Bishop Drive, and signage will clearly indicate that fair parking is not accessible from Callaway Road.

Traffic from Powder Springs Road and Austell Road will be directed to County Services Parkway for access to the fair parking lots.

Other key elements of the traffic plan include:

• Deputies will dedicate two of the three lanes on Al Bishop Drive for westbound traffic heading toward the parking areas. Deputies will also be stationed to guide traffic from County Services Parkway.
• A shuttle service will run from the Cobb County Safety Village, near the parking lots, to transport fairgoers to the front gate.
• The Uber/Lyft pickup and drop-off zone will also be located at the Safety Village.
• Cobb DOT's Traffic Management Center will be operational during fair hours to monitor traffic lights at area intersections and adjust timing to prevent long backups on Callaway Road.

"We believe this traffic plan will work," Major Jacob Huval told residents at an open house this week. "This new flow should keep traffic moving on Callaway Road and help prevent the long backups residents have experienced in recent years."

Residents of neighborhoods off Callaway Road have long complained about the traffic congestion that worsened as the fair grew in popularity. Parking in those neighborhoods has also been a concern. County Manager Dr. Jackie McMorris assured residents that officials will hold a follow-up meeting after the fair to review the traffic plan's effectiveness and determine whether further changes are needed.

The North Georgia State Fair runs from Sept. 19-29 at the Jim R. Miller Park Fairgrounds.