Should more than 1.5 miles of multi-use paths be laid across parts of Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park in Georgia? That's the question officials hope the public will provide some thoughts on.

The landscape in this park was ravaged during the Civil War, with soldiers cutting down forests, building earthworks, killing wildlife for food, and, of course, showering the landscape with cannonballs and rifle fire.

While it has healed greatly down through the decades, some earthworks remain, and it's possible that some artifacts from the battle remain buried here. 

Against this backdrop, the Cobb County (Georgia) Department of Transportation, City of Marietta (Georgia) Department of Public Works, the National Park Service, and the Georgia Department of Transportation are considering a proposal to build nearly four miles of multi-use trails. The proposal calls for three trails, ranging in width from 8 to 10 feet.

The pedestrian improvements would be located on Whitlock Avenue, Cheatham Hill Road, and Burnt Hickory Road. The total project length would be approximately 3.85 miles, of which approximately 1.69 miles would be located within the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.

A public meeting on the proposal is scheduled for August 8 at the Marietta High School at 1171 Whitlock Avenue NW in Marietta.

The purpose of the meeting is to provide the public with an opportunity to view the project, ask questions, and comment on the project.

The open house will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. There will be no formal presentation, and the public is invited to attend anytime during these hours. A court reporter will be available to allow the public an opportunity to make verbal comments about the project.