Dalton's Gateway Corridor: Building The New Market Street

The Walnut Avenue Corridor is Dalton's front door to the world.

Whether they are coming home, coming to visit, or simply passing through, most people come to Dalton via the I-75 interchanges at Walnut Avenue and Rocky Face. 

We're working to make sure we make the right first impression

Work began in early 2020 to re-imagine those gateway corridors to make them work better for Dalton. The plan is to make them more beautiful, more functional, and more reflective of what makes our community the best place to live, work, and play in Georgia. 

Here's the plan.

The Gateway Corridor Improvements Plan was developed in cooperation with consulting firm Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC) in cooperation with some of the best designers and transportation engineers in the Southeast. The plan incorporates their strategies for optimized traffic flow and aesthetic design. 

The GMC plan is broken down into five elements: 

1. Market Street Streetscape Improvements - Transforming Market Street into a more attractive, welcoming, and usable gateway to the community by adding street parking, landscape elements, and underground utilities with aesthetic touches to create a downtown feel. 
2. Dug Gap Road Connector - A new road will link Market Street with Dug Gap Road for another much-needed east-west pathway.
3. Walnut Avenue Streetscape Improvements - Transform Walnut Avenue with similar design elements to Market Street and create a welcoming downtown atmosphere.
4. Exit 333 Beautification Project - Beautify the I-75 access ramps as well as West Walnut Avenue with landscaping and design elements that highlight Dalton's character and heritage as "Peacock Alley" and the "Carpet Capital of the World"
5. Exit 336 Beautification Project - Beautify the I-75 access ramps with landscape elements that highlight Dalton's character and heritage as "Peacock Alley" and the "Carpet Capital of the World"

Now we're putting our shovels in the ground.

The City has allocated funding to get started with the first two phases and the work you see on Market Street will soon create a new place for commercial development in Dalton. We envision new restaurants, new retail businesses, and a lot more people taking the opportunity to enjoy what's already here. 

Soon you won't recognize Market Street - But you're going to love it!

To learn more, take a closer look at the plan!