Rangers at Kennesaw Mountain battlefield will remind visitors to use proper bike, walking lanes on reopened Mountain Road. You can take a shuttle, but not a car

(Photos Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park)

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park -- nearing the end of a safety improvement project --- has officially reopened Mountain Road with marked lanes for walking and bicycling. A shuttle van will continue to take riders to the summit.

No private vehicles are allowed on the 1.6-mile paved road to the top of the Civil War site northwest of Atlanta. For a time, there will continued education of visitors about the changes.

“We know new markings can take a little getting used to, so thanks in advance for your patience and for looking out for fellow visitors,” the park said Wednesday about the nine-month project.

Ray Hamel, chief of interpretation, said Thursday there will be increased patrols to help ensure everyone is following the new regulations: 

-- Pedestrians can walk only in a designated lane, keeping left on the way up, right on the way down. “We’re aware of (social media) comments about pedestrians spreading out across the road, and we’ll continue addressing that through both education and enforcement,” Hamel told the Picket in an email.

-- Cyclists may use the road seven days a week, within the designated hours and marked lane. For summer, that is 7:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.; for winter, 7:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.

-- The summit shuttle bus runs daily 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. There is no charge to ride beyond the standard park entrance fee. It has a powered wheelchair lift, and the van can accommodate riders using wheelchairs.

-- Private vehicles are not permitted. “There is a gate at the bottom of the road that will prevent unauthorized vehicle access. Since reopening, we’ve had very few incidents of private vehicles getting through, and when it happens, we respond quickly,” said Hamel.

Superintendent Patrick Gamman said a sidewalk to the Mountain Road bus turnaround should be completed by next week. A soft opening for Mountain Road was held Tuesday, he told the Picket.

Park officials say Mountain Road had seen increased traffic incidents and medical emergencies before work began late last year. (At left, Picket photo from before lane striping)

While cars, when not attended to properly, are the most inherently dangerous of the three modes of transportation, pedestrians and bicyclists often have close calls and incidents. That’s why each bicyclists and pedestrians will now be in separate lanes.

As the surrounding area has continued to grow, the park has become one of the last remaining greenspaces in the metro Atlanta region. That growth has brought challenges in accommodating an increasingly recreation‑centered visitor base, park officials said.

“Following an increase in near misses and accidents, the new design is intended to facilitate safer accessibility for pedestrians, cyclists, and runners, while better supporting the park’s evolving role in the community,” said Hamel.

Some commenters on social media lament restricted hours for bicyclists and the end to auto travel to the top.

For those who do venture up, you get great views of the skyline and buildings below as you travel the winding road. Many visitors undertake the popular walkup trail. (For the curious, the summit is 1,808 feet above sea level.)

A few signs along the road indicate Confederate cannon and defensive positions from June 1864.

There’s a few for Maj. Gen. Edward Walthall’s division, namely the Quarles and Reynolds brigades. At the top while visiting in January, I used a marker to match views of Marietta and Atlanta and saw one listing 14 Georgia generals who fought for the Rebel army at Kennesaw Mountain.

A marker provides details on what can be scene from near the summit (Picket photos)

And above that is a cool stretch of emplaced cannons mimicking the Confederate positions.

The park thanked visitors for their understanding.

“Visitor reactions have been generally positive,” said Hamel. “Patrons have adjusted smoothly to the changes, and we’ve heard appreciation for the improved flow and safety features.”