AUSTELL — With four pedestrian fatalities taking place within a mile in either direction in the past five years, Cobb public safety officials decided on a south Cobb apartment complex as the site of their first “safety blitz.”

“We just pulled up a lot of data to see which areas might need the most attention,” Cobb Fire spokeswoman Denell Boyd said.

The Public Safety Block Party will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday near the entrance of the Parkview Apartments, 360 Six Flags Drive in Austell, just off Interstate 20.

The event will feature a fire safety house, music, food and an appearance by Sparky the Dog, Boyd said.

Cobb Police Chief John Houser said the event is an effort to reach out to the Six Flags area. Officers will be on hand to answer questions about pedestrian safety and crime.

“We know we need their support to be successful,” Houser said. “It’s an opportunity to speak with the residents and the business owners down there and hear any concerns they have, and let them know that we’re there to have a positive impact on the community.”

The county is already making the area safer for pedestrians. The Board of Commissioners approved a $759,088 project last month that will add sidewalks to the south side of Six Flags Drive from Crestside Drive to the Interstate 20 westbound on-ramp at Riverside Parkway. It will also fill in existing sidewalks on the north side of Six Flags Drive.

The project will also include the county’s first High Intensity Activated Crosswalk in the middle of the mile-long improvements. The traffic light, located above the roadway, remains dark unless a pedestrian pushes a button activating a signal. After the pedestrian pushes the button, drivers see flashing yellow lights for a few seconds, followed by solid yellow. The light then turns solid red, allowing the pedestrian to cross the street. The light then turns flashing red, allowing motorists to stop, but then proceed if there is no one in the crosswalk. The lights then go dark again.

The Georgia Department of Transportation is paying for 80 percent of the sidewalk project, with Cobb County responsible for the remainder.

Officials have said up to 45 illegal crossings take place at the site during peak hours.

“There’s a lot of walking traffic down there, and it’s a very busy road,” said Commissioner Woody Thompson, who represents the area. “There’s a lot of folks running a bit too fast on it, anyways, at least when I’m down there.”