Proposed two-year program takes multi-modal approach to safety on Atlanta streets

Sept. 26, 2019
The Safer Streets initiative will include safety additions to more than 20 miles of streets and see the tripling of the city’s protected bike lanes.

A two-year, $5-million plan to incorporate enhanced safety designs to Atlanta’s streets was announced on Sept. 25 by Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. The plan identifies more than 20 city corridors for rapid implementation changes to improve safety for pedestrians, drivers, transit riders, as well as bike and e-scooter riders.

“A safe city starts with streets designed for everyone,” said Mayor Bottoms. “The way that people are getting around Atlanta is changing as the city grows quickly, and this plan will help keep pace with new demands across our transportation network.”

The mayor’s office said the plan would more than triple the city’s on-street protected bike network and by the end of 2021, city residents will see more than 20 miles of safer streets.

The Action Plan for Safer Streets will establish new connections between key neighborhoods across the city: SW Atlanta, the Westside Trail and MARTA; connect Midtown with Downtown; and bridge the distance from the West End to Grant Park.

The plan will kick-off with Atlanta’s first-ever temporary, “pop up” bike lane as part of Biketober. This temporary lane will allow city transportation officials to track impacts in real time while engaging the public and following robust community engagement on potential designs.

Mayor Bottoms’ One Atlanta agenda has a heavy transportation focus with the aim of building a safer and more equitable mobility network. In addition to the safer streets initiative, the plan has established the city’s first Department of Transportation, advanced a multi-billion dollar More MARTA expansion program and is working to deliver more than $500 million in transportation infrastructure improvements from the 2015 Renew Atlanta Bond and 2016 Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST).

Safety is at the heart of the plan. The mayor’s office says traffic crash rates in Atlanta are four times higher than the Georgia statewide average on key streets in the city’s core, while pedestrian death rates from traffic collisions are twice the national average. The mayor’s office also notes the introduction of e-scooters to Atlanta has generated more than 3 million trips since February 2019, but they have also highlighted challenges with the existing mobility network. In July, Mayor Bottoms issued an executive order prohibiting the issuance of additional permits for shareable dockless mobility devices and in early August, the mayor directed the Department of City Planning to implement a daily citywide No Ride Zone from 9:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. for permitted electric scooters and E-Bikes. No permitted device will be rentable during this time period.

“We have heard from residents of Atlanta loud and clear – people want safer streets, and they want to see real changes before another tragedy occurs,” said Mayor Bottoms

In parallel to the safe streets plan, the city of Atlanta will be rewriting its e-scooter ordinance to make improvements to the administration and enforcement of operators. It is expected that the new regulations will be adopted in early 2020, bringing substantial improvements to the management of e-scooters across the city and addressing concerns raised by the public since the adoption of the city’s initial ordnance.

About the Author

Mischa Wanek-Libman | Editor in Chief

Mischa Wanek-Libman serves as editor in chief of Mass Transit magazine. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the magazine’s editorial direction and is based in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Wanek-Libman has spent more than 20 years covering transportation issues including construction projects and engineering challenges for various commuter railroads and transit agencies. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content. 

She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and serves as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.  

She is a graduate of Drake University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a major in magazine journalism and a minor in business management.