COBB COUNTY, Ga. (CBS46) – Cobb County and the Cumberland Community Improvement District have been awarded a $5 million grant to fund phase two of the Akers Mill Ramp project.
U.S. Rep Lucy McBath (D-Ga.) requested the grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation earlier this year.
“This grant award is a huge win for Georgia,” McBath said. “As someone who travels through this area each week, I am thrilled to help increase safety and reduce travel time in our area. This project will also provide greater economic opportunity and improve the quality of life for people living and working in Georgia’s Sixth District. My office will continue to work across the aisle to bring home federal dollars that fund exciting initiatives like this.”
Phase one of the project raised $24 million from state and local stakeholders. This $5 million grant closes the gap in funds needed to complete phase two, which has allocated over $14 million in funding.
Those funds were committed by the Cumberland Community Improvement District, Cobb County, the State Road and Tollway Authority, and the Atlanta Regional Commission. However, those commitments were dependent on the successful allocation of the $5 million from the Department of Transportation.
Three previous attempts to secure federal funding for the project failed between 2016 and 2018.