Improve street design to achieve safety for all on DeKalb Ave

[This post has been updated with outcomes from our campaign to improve the design of the DeKalb Avenue resurfacing by adding some elements of the defunded Complete Street project. For status updates on the DeKalb Ave project, visit the Renew Atlanta / TSPLOST webpage. Construction was initially scheduled to start in December 2020 but as of January 2021, it has been postponed to summer 2021.] On Thursday, February 27th, 2020, the Atlanta Department of Transportation showed the most recent concept for DeKalb Ave. The project is described as “DeKalb Ave Safety Improvements,” and while it’s true that removing the reversible lane is an important safety improvement, the overall design would not fulfill the City’s commitment to improving safety for everyone on this key corridor. Our vision for DeKalb Ave is of a greenway similar to the BeltLine alongside a safe street for all. In our vision, DeKalb Ave facilitates easy access to transit, prioritizes the safety of the most vulnerable people first, and provides transportation options that go beyond cars for the growing number of businesses and residents along the corridor.  Read more

Act Now: Urge elected officials to set a safer speed limit of 25 mph on Atlanta’s streets

Atlanta’s 2017 pedestrian fatality rate was the 23rd highest out of the 175 largest cities in the nation. In 2018, a person walking or biking was killed somewhere in this country every 73 minutes - 6,283 pedestrians and 857 cyclists - the highest figures in 30 years.  Cities across the U.S. and the world are setting safer speed limits to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries. By lowering the speed limit, top outlier speeds go down.  We are joining forces with Voices for Healthy Kids/American Heart Association, PEDS, AARP Georgia, other organizations, and a growing number of Atlanta neighborhood associations and NPUs to add Atlanta to the list of cities with safer speed limits. Act now: Tell your City of Atlanta elected officials you want a safer speed limit of 25 mph on city streets. Read more

Vision Zero transportation safety: virtual townhall meeting Thursday, April 16th at 5:30 pm

  Most people don't give traffic safety a lot of thought until it affects them personally. If you are someone who cares about having safe streets for all, join the City of Atlanta and partners for a virtual town hall on Vision Zero and transportation safety. You can take part via the Zoom meeting or by watching the livestream on Atlanta City Council's Facebook page (like in advance to be notified when they go live).    

2020 Blinkie Awards - that's a wrap!

February 13th, 2020 marked the 13th annual Blinkie Awards & Member Party. The Blinkie Awards honor the people, projects, and plans making Atlanta safer and more accessible by sustainable transportation modes. Some 240 people attended the event, sponsored by Bike Law Georgia, The Trolley Barn, and Georgia Bikes. Participants enjoyed ABC Bike Valet service and music by DJ Zegi along with food and drinks donated by Eventide Brewing, Six Feet Under, and Homegrown Restaurants -- Doc Chey’s and Osteria 832. Following a welcome by our Deputy Director, Haydée Santana, Rebecca Serna shared updates on the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition’s new strategic direction, mission, and 2020 priorities. She also shared plans for the 10th anniversary of Atlanta Streets Alive, which we'll start celebrating with a block party in South Downtown on Sunday, May 17th (details coming soon!) Next, Cassius and Marley Alabanza drew cheers as they issued an invitation to the 2020 Youth Bike Summit coming to Atlanta in March from the Youth Advisory Council. Finally, our Community Engagement Coordinator Sagirah Jones emceed the Blinkie Awards. Read more to see who was recognized! Read more

Speak up for safe streets at these upcoming public meetings

2020 got off to a strong start, at least when it comes to opportunities to speak up for #SafeStreetsforAll! We'll keep this blog post updated so you can stay organized. Thank you for speaking up for safe streets for all!  Read more

2020 Blinkie Awards & Member Party

Since 2008, we've gathered each year to celebrate the people, projects, and policies making Atlanta better by bike. In 2020, as we expand our work to include forms of sustainable and active transportation that are good for the city, please join us for this community shindig at the Trolley Barn (how appropriate).  RSVP to the Blinkies: Thursday, February 13th This party is FREE for current members! To become a member, join via atlantabike.org/join-donate Read more

New strategic plan

We've long envisioned a day when biking is wholly integrated into Atlanta's daily life, culture, and infrastructure, and our mission has been focused on making biking equitable, safe, and appealing. This year, our 28th in existence, we worked with partners, members, and supporters on our next strategic plan.  Our new plan responds to changes in our environment and work with an updated mission and vision, and expanded goals that include walking and transit. By banding together with advocates for other sustainable kinds of transportation we will make progress faster than if we continued to work on bicycle infrastructure alone. Our city needs a connected transportation system that serves diverse needs, and that's what we're working towards, together.  Vision: An Atlanta where everyone moves safely, easily, and sustainably throughout the city Mission: To reclaim Atlanta’s streets as safe, inclusive,  and thriving spaces for people to ride, walk, and roll. I hope you'll join us in this next phase!

GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF HIGHWAY SAFETY AWARDS GRANT TO ATLANTA BICYCLE COALITION

(ATLANTA) The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition is pleased to announce it has received a $62,883.66 grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS).  The grant, which will continue through September of 2020, will provide bicycle safety education, with the goal of reducing bicycle crashes and injuries.   “Thanks to the GOHS, we are able to provide quality bike safety and skills training to hundreds of Atlanteans.  Our goal is to increase the density of people biking with zero bicycle crashes in Fulton and Dekalb counties.“ said Atlanta Bicycle Coalition Education & Outreach Program Manager Stephen Spring.   The GOHS-funded education program will include 44 bike classes for a range of people, from true beginners to bike commuters, with the goal of reaching 500 Atlantans with the trainings. Class types include City Cycling rides, Hack Your Commute, College & Community Bike Safety, and a ticket diversion program for those who receive tickets for bicycle traffic violations. The ticket diversion program aims to reduce the burden of fines on low-income residents, and increase awareness of bicycle safety.    Atlanta is the 20th safest large city for biking in the U.S., as measured by bicycle fatalities per 10,000 reported bicycle commuters. In the City of Atlanta, in 2016,  there were 152 crashes involving people on bikes and 116 injuries as a result. In the state of Georgia, Atlanta and Fulton and DeKalb counties have among the highest total number of bicycle crashes, along with the highest rates of cycling in the state. By providing bike safety education, the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition aims to reduce bicycle crashes and create safer streets for everyone.   ###   Founded in 1991, the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition is a membership-based nonprofit. Our work includes advocacy for a safe and connected network of bikeways and better conditions for bicycling, education for bicyclists and drivers on safety, resources to overcome barriers to biking, and opportunities to experience biking in a safe setting during Atlanta Streets Alive.   For more information on the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition’s award, contact Kathryn Curtis at 404.657.9079 or [email protected]. For more information on GOHS and its safety programs visit www.gahighwaysafety.org.    

New City Transportation Department Gains Momentum with New Strategic Plan and Leadership

Yesterday, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced Josh Rowan, General Manager of Renew Atlanta/TSPLOST, will become the City's first Transportation Commissioner charged with bringing three existing City agencies together under one leader. We applaud the mayor on her selection and the comprehensive and progressive strategic plan announced alongside the Commissioner.   Read more

Building on the 10th Street pop-up lane

Last month, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced a plan to build a safer and more equitable transportation network for people who walk, bike, and use other human-powered or light individual transportation (LIT) devices. To kick off this project, the City’s Office of Mobility Planning and Midtown Alliance used temporary materials and volunteers to build a “pop-up” protected bike lane on 10th Street in Midtown. The temporary lane connected the existing cycle track from Piedmont Park at Myrtle Street two additional blocks up to Juniper Street.  Read more

Why are some roads more dangerous than others?

It’s frustrating when there are years of statistical data proving that specific streets are more dangerous than others.  It’s even more disturbing that people living in communities surrounded by dangerous streets have memories of severe and fatal traffic collisions etched in their minds. This “High-Injury Network” was researched by Georgia Tech graduate student John Saxton. Read more

Statement in Response to Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms’ Action Plan for Safer Streets Across Atlanta

Today, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced the details of the “plan to change our streets by creating safer, dedicated spaces for cyclists and scooter riders.” The promise of an “accelerated” plan came packaged with the announcement of a temporary night-time ban (9 p.m. to 4 a.m.) on permitted e-bikes & e-scooters following the deaths of three scooter riders struck by cars and killed while riding e-scooters in the city of Atlanta and our advocacy calling for a rapid response from the City. Read more

Music Midtown makes way for biking

Last year's Music Midtown brought heartburn to Atlantans who use bikes and scooters for transportation. The bike lanes on 10th Street were inaccessible for two-weeks during the previous year's festival even though they are the most heavily-used bike lanes in the city. This year, to create a safer environment for mobility, the City of Atlanta and Atlanta Bicycle Coalition worked with Music Midtown to address concerns and forge a better path forward. Read more

Bike Safety Tips for Back to School

There’s no time like back to school to get the whole family actively riding in Atlanta’s neighborhoods and along bike paths. We honor this exciting time with some information about our bike safety education programs, tips on riding safety, and a request for support of our expanding Shifting Gears program. Read more

Mobility needs don't end at 9 PM

The City of Atlanta announced a temporary nighttime ban on permitted e-bikes & e-scooters as of Friday, August 9th. A citywide No Ride Zone will be in effect from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. daily, in response to the recent fatal scooter/motor vehicle crashes. The announcement noted that all four crashes occurred "after sunset." But the sun doesn't set on people's mobility needs, and last-mile connectivity isn't limited to daytime hours.  Read more

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